Türkiye detains 8 suspects tied to Israeli intelligence

Türkiye has apprehended eight people on charges of providing information about some Turkish individuals and companies to detectives of the Israeli intelligence agency.

"Operation MOLE-3" was launched against eight people who were suspected of collecting data and documents about some Turkish individuals and companies for Israeli intelligence agents, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said in a statement on X on Friday.

He said that eight suspects were apprehended during the operation, two of whom were placed under formal arrest, and cases of six others are still pending in the judicial system.

"We will never allow espionage activities against our national unity and solidarity within the borders of our country," Yerlikaya vowed.

A network of 9 people

A private detective A.E.T. and his wife, who were detained and arrested after it was determined that they transferred information to Israeli intelligence elements, established a network of 9 people to fulfil the instructions of the Israeli Foreign Intelligence Service, according to security sources.

A.E.T held face-to-face meetings with Mossad agents using the aliases "Jorg Neubach" and "Gavin Alto" in Vienna in Austria, Zurich in Switzerland, Munich, Frankfurt and Berlin in Germany, the sources said.

The minister added that the operation was carried out by the Istanbul Provincial Security Directorate Counter Terrorism Branch Directorate in coordination with the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, the Presidency of the National Intelligence Organization (MIT), and the Directorate General of Security Intelligence and Counterterrorism (EGM).

In January, Turkish authorities have also detained 33 people on suspicion of engaging in espionage activities on behalf of Israel's foreign intelligence service Mossad.

The suspects have been alleged to have been involved in activities such as reconnaissance, surveillance, assault, and abduction on behalf of Mossad.