Turkey Arrests Seven More on Suspicion of Espionage for Mossad

In the latest wave of security arrests in Turkey, Istanbul police on Tuesday detained seven individuals suspected of gathering information and selling it to Israel's intelligence agency, Mossad. According to Reuters, Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya posted on social media platform X, stating that the suspects were arrested during simultaneous operations in Istanbul, conducted jointly with Turkey's National Intelligence Organization. He added, "The detainees are suspected of collecting information on individuals and companies in Turkey and selling it to Israel's intelligence agency, Mossad, and we will never allow espionage activities within our borders." The state-run Anadolu Agency reported, citing security officials who wished to remain anonymous, that a former government employee currently working as a private investigator was among those arrested on Tuesday. It is said that this private investigator, trained by Mossad in Serbia, had collected information on Middle Eastern companies and individuals and had installed tracking devices in the vehicles of individuals targeted by Mossad. Earlier in January, over 30 people were also arrested by Turkish police on suspicion of espionage for Israel, and Turkish Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc stated that most suspects were charged with committing "political or military espionage" for Mossad. Turkey and Israel normalized relations in 2022 after years of tension with the reappointment of ambassadors; however, these relations quickly deteriorated following the outbreak of war between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza. The Gaza war also affected Starbucks employees, with two thousand of the company's staff in the Middle East and North Africa losing their jobs. A cybersecurity company reported that hackers affiliated with the IRGC have spied on several aerospace and defense organizations in the Middle East. Arab countries and Turkey have called on the global court to declare the "occupation of Palestinian lands" illegal. Armed hostage-taking occurred at an American factory in Turkey in protest of the Gaza war. President Raisi's visit to Turkey coincided with the escalating crisis in the region. The end of Secretary Blinken's trip to Turkey and four Arab countries saw Middle Eastern leaders unite for the future of Gaza. Turkey arrested 33 individuals on suspicion of espionage for Israel.