A history of espionage is added to the current strong tensions between Paris and Ankara. The Turkish ambassador to France, Ismail Hakki Musa, confirmed on Wednesday July 1 the existence of a "matter" between the two countries, a few days after information published by the Turkish pro-government newspaper Sabah.

According to an article published on June 22, an ex-employee of the security service of the French consulate general in Istanbul, Metin Ozdemir, surrendered to the police and claimed that he had collected information for the external intelligence services French (DGSE).

Four Turkish nationals suspected of having spied on associative and religious circles on behalf of France have been arrested, the newspaper continued.

On Wednesday, Ismail Hakki Musa answered a question on the subject before the French Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense, becoming the first Turkish official to raise it officially. "This case is being dealt with closely by the DGSE and the Turkish MIT. (It has been two years) that this case has been the subject of exchanges between the two services," he said. 

"The fact that this was echoed in the press a few days ago (...) has nothing to do with the news," he said, as diplomatic tensions between Paris and Ankara take hold. the extent.

Paris has never reacted publicly on this issue. The Foreign Ministry simply refused to "comment on press rumors".

Gather information on "conservative associations"

According to Sabah, Metin Ozdemir said he had transmitted information to the French on 120 people, including imams, for a monthly salary and the promise to join the Foreign Legion, a body of the French army made up of foreign soldiers.

Also according to the newspaper, Metin Ozdemir, posing as a member of the Turkish services investigating the Islamic State organization, recruited three men: an employee of the municipal water management company in Istanbul, a person working in telecoms and the owner of a Istanbul hotel.

The "spy cell", as Sabah calls it, was responsible for gathering information on "conservative associations", religious brotherhoods and the authority for religious affairs (Diyanet), the public body responsible for supervising worship.

According to the newspaper, the four men notably gathered information on the association of women and democracy (KADEM), co-chaired by the youngest daughter of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

According to Sabah, Metin Ozdemir surrendered to the Turkish authorities after having had a disagreement with the French agents. The four men will be tried for spying, the press agency said.

With AFP

The France 24 week summary invites you to come back to the news that marked the week

I subscribe

Take international news everywhere with you! Download the France 24 app

google-play-badge_FR