Hamza Turhan Ayberk underwent secret training in the Serbian capital, Belgrade, when he was recruited from the Mossad (communication sites)

Istanbul -

The Turkish authorities’ announcement of the arrest of a former security director accused of being at the head of a cell suspected of being linked to the Israeli intelligence service Mossad came as a surprise, especially after Turkish newspapers published details about the cell’s work and supposed activity.

Last Tuesday, Turkish security forces arrested 7 people out of 8 suspects, on the grounds of their association with the Mossad, in a joint operation between the Turkish Intelligence Service and the Istanbul Security Directorate.

Local media, led by the newspaper "Turkey", which is close to the government, revealed more details related to the cell that was headed by Hamza Turhan Ayberk, a former security director who was dismissed on the grounds of his affiliation to the Fethullah Gulen organization banned in Turkey, in addition to suspicions related to his use of his influence in threatening operations. And assault.

Among the various accounts, it was said that the decisive factor behind his removal from his position was that he was shot in the foot while he was with his wife in an Istanbul bar.

Security investigations later revealed that the perpetrator belonged to the Fethullah Gulen group, which raised suspicions that Ayberk himself was linked to the group, according to the newspaper.

It is noteworthy that Iberk has made continuous efforts, since then, to submit petitions and appeals to the Supreme Court requesting his return to his position.

Turkey recently announced several operations during which it dismantled Mossad cells that were operating on its territory (social networking sites)

Recruitment story

The newspaper "Turkey" explained that the first friction between Iberk and the Mossad was after he was removed from his job in 2019 through an intermediary named Victoria, as he underwent secret training in the Serbian capital, Belgrade.

During this period, he was tested by providing information about Palestinian institutions and individuals residing in Turkey in exchange for a sum of money, in a tactic known as “baiting.” It also became clear that Iberik gave information about people and companies of Middle Eastern origin, in addition to information related to the Palestinians.

After his return from Belgrade, the newspaper says, Iberk began to form his team consisting of 7 other people, and their efforts focused on tracking people, cars, and primarily Palestinian institutions and some Arab companies, while it became clear that the communication process between him and the Mossad was taking place using encrypted and secret communication systems, in addition to his receipt of transfers. Finance via digital currencies to avoid entering the official records department, and the Mossad later gave him the status of an informant instead of an agent.

Ibark's method of espionage was based on using his previous position to investigate and inquire about information, as he was accused in many cases of harassing and assaulting the people concerned under the pretext of working for a security agency.

According to intelligence sources, Ayberk was assigned to establish a team that included among its members government employees with security backgrounds, as it became clear that both Mehmet Yatimova, who was working in the General Tax Department in Istanbul, and Ozcan Sahin, who was dismissed from the security service due to investigations into the crime of exploiting his position for sexual purposes and assaults, became clear. , working for the Mossad under the leadership of Iberk.

The cell also included retired officer Ercan Cama, and Omer Burak Gezer, who is believed to have recently left service in the police force, in addition to Funda Kadayavcioglu, who works as a private security guard, and Hakan Kabaca, who was dismissed from the security service due to his involvement in a bribery case.

At the end of the operation, the security authorities in Turkey seized 4.5 kilograms of narcotic drugs, in addition to unlicensed weapons, money, and surveillance and eavesdropping devices that were present inside the homes of the detainees.

Investigations are still underway to determine the amount of information that the suspects were able to obtain and the extent of its impact on national security, through analysis of the data and seized materials.

Misleading method

The former security director in the Güngörn district of Istanbul, Hamza Turhan Ayberk, was known for his constant media appearances on morning programs, especially those related to politics and intelligence topics, as a “security expert.” He always praised the Palestinian resistance and the way it worked, and also praised the events of October 7. In the past, he has always condemned the barbarism of the Israeli occupation and its crimes in the Gaza Strip.

Referring to Iberk’s personal account on the Instagram platform, we find many posts and posts expressing his solidarity with the Palestinian people and his opposition to Israeli positions.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Hamza Turhan Ayberk (@hamzaturhanayberk)

In his statements to Al Jazeera Net, security expert Ramadan Çayer stressed that the cell used deception techniques to obtain information about individuals and companies from the Middle East, but its main target was the Palestinian community in Turkey, specifically people with ties to the Hamas movement.

He stressed that Iberik's use of a supportive method of appearing in the media and its support for the Palestinian cause is not strange, as global intelligence services rely on this strategy repeatedly. However, he expected that this incident would lead to greater vigilance and preparedness from Turkish intelligence to confront similar dangers in the future.

He pointed out that this operation is a continuation of Turkey's firm approach to confronting intelligence challenges, noting that this step comes after the success of the Turkish authorities in arresting 34 individuals suspected of collaborating with the Israeli Mossad last January, and the recent dismantling of spy networks affiliated with France and Iran. .

The security expert warned of a new strategy pursued by Israeli intelligence to expand its network of agents.

It consists of exploiting social media platforms to build preliminary relationships, followed by organizing meetings in public places.

Such as: hotels and restaurants to assess the willingness and inclination of the targets to cooperate with the Mossad, stressing the need for caution to avoid slipping into the trap of these polarizing methods.

Source: Al Jazeera