The Turkish authorities arrested 34 people last January who were suspected of helping Israeli intelligence services prepare kidnapping operations on Turkish territory (Anatolia - Archives)

The Turkish authorities arrested 7 people on Tuesday on suspicion of collecting and selling information for the benefit of the Israeli intelligence service (Mossad), two months after a massive campaign in this regard resulted in the arrest of dozens.

The official Turkish Anatolia News Agency quoted security sources as saying that the seven detainees were arrested in a joint operation between the Turkish Intelligence Service and the Istanbul Security Directorate.

The agency said that preliminary investigations showed that the suspect, Hamza Turhan Ayberk - a former government employee who appeared several times on talk shows on television channels - was communicating with the Mossad through a woman named Victoria.

According to the agency, investigations showed that Iberk “works as an informant for the Mossad, using in his activities a group of government employees who formed a spy network in exchange for money. Iberk was tasked with collecting information about people and companies from the Middle East region for the Mossad.”

She explained that the beginning of AIBRIC’s involvement in working for the Mossad dates back to 2019, when he underwent Israeli training in the Serbian capital, Belgrade, and was then assigned some simple tasks. Later, under the guidance of the Mossad, AIBRIC began using encrypted and secret communication applications, while adopting digital currencies for payment, to avoid... To enter the official records department.

She added that in addition to leaking information, Iberk was also involved in surveillance and threatening activities on behalf of the Mossad, as he placed tracking devices in the cars of targeted people, so that these devices transmitted the locations of these people directly to Israeli intelligence. It was also found that he deliberately harassed the targeted people and directed threats to them between Every now and then.

Last January, Turkish authorities arrested 34 people suspected of helping Israeli intelligence services prepare kidnapping operations across the country, and the Istanbul Public Prosecutor's Office said that a search was underway for 12 other suspects accused of the same incidents.

Agence France-Presse quoted a Turkish security source at the time as saying that the suspects, most of whom hold foreign nationalities, were recruited as part of “operations targeting Palestinians and their families.”

A few days later, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced, addressing Israel, "This is only the beginning. You will know Turkey well."

Ankara warned Israel of "serious consequences" if it tried to pursue members of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) who live outside the Palestinian territories, including those who live in Turkey.

It is noteworthy that since the beginning of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip on October 7, the Turkish President has doubled his criticism of Israel, and Erdogan said, “There is no difference between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.”

Source: Agencies