Police in Turkey have arrested seven individuals on suspicion of selling information to Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency related to tracking and monitoring local targets. The suspects were apprehended in a joint operation conducted by the police and Turkey’s National Intelligence Organisation (MIT) following raids in Istanbul and the Aegean province of Izmir, as reported by state news agency Anadolu on Friday.
These individuals are believed to have attempted to monitor and photograph the targets, place tracking devices on them and obtain other information for Mossad, as indicated by the state broadcaster TRT, quoting unnamed security sources. MIT had determined that Mossad was utilizing private detectives to pursue its targets and recruited Palestinian and Syrian nationals in Turkey as part of an operation against foreigners living in the country.
Ankara has previously cautioned Israel of “serious consequences” if it endeavors to pursue members of the Palestinian group Hamas residing outside Palestinian territories, including in Turkey. The head of Israel’s domestic Shin Bet security agency mentioned in December that his organization was prepared to target Hamas anywhere, including in Lebanon, Turkey, and Qatar.
Turkey, unlike its Western allies, does not classify Hamas as a “terrorist” organization. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has condemned Israel for its war in Gaza and has repeatedly criticized Western countries for supporting Tel Aviv’s campaign.
This recent arrest follows the detention of 34 people by Turkish police last month on suspicion of spying for Israel. They were accused of planning to carry out activities, including surveillance and “pursuing, assaulting and kidnapping” foreign nationals living in Turkey. Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc stated that most of the suspects were charged with committing “political or military espionage” on behalf of Israeli intelligence. Anadolu cited a prosecution document as saying the operation targeted “Palestinian nationals and their families … within the scope of the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict”.
The actions taken by Turkish authorities reflect ongoing tensions and concerns surrounding intelligence activities and espionage in the region. The arrests underscore the complex geopolitical dynamics and longstanding disputes between Turkey and Israel in the context of broader regional conflicts.
