The Turkish authorities announced during the past months the dismantling of several cells working for the Mossad (agencies)
The Turkish Intelligence Service said that the Turkish authorities arrested 6 people and formally charged them with spying for the Israeli Foreign Intelligence Service (Mossad).
On Tuesday, Turkish security forces arrested 7 out of 8 people suspected of belonging to a cell working for 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 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 and assault operations. .
The Intelligence Service reported on Friday that 6 of the 7 suspects were in detention and that one of them had been released on bail.
According to procedures in Turkey, suspects are first arrested by the security services before judicial orders are issued to arrest and detain them after formally charging them, after which they are duly tried under those charges.
There was no immediate comment from Israel regarding the incident.
A former Turkish security director accused of involvement in working for the Mossad (social networking sites)
Turkish statement
Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said on Tuesday that his country will not allow any espionage activities within its borders, in his comment on the arrest of the seven people suspected of carrying out espionage activities on behalf of the Mossad.
The minister stated on the
He added that in the joint security operation, "seven suspects were identified and arrested who were collecting information and documents about individuals and companies in Turkey targeted by Israeli intelligence, and transmitting them to them."
He explained that as a result of the operation, unlicensed weapons, various quantities of drugs, electronic devices used to detect eavesdropping devices, and a large number of digital materials, documents, and foreign currencies were seized.
Yerlikaya said in his statement on the platform, "We will never allow espionage activities to be carried out within the borders of our country. We will arrest them one by one and bring them to justice."
Last January, a Turkish court issued an order to arrest 15 people and deport 8 others suspected of having links with the Mossad and targeting Palestinians living in Turkey.
Last February, Turkey detained 7 others suspected of selling information to the Mossad.
Since the beginning of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip on October 7, Turkish officials, led by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, have launched an attack on Israel and denounced the genocide it is carrying out against the Palestinians, and the large number of victims among defenseless civilians.
Ankara also warned Israel of "dangerous consequences" if it tried to pursue members of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) who live outside the Palestinian territories, including Turkey.
Source: Al Jazeera + agencies