INDO DAILY
← CYBER WARS  |  Home CYBER WARS

Turkey arrests 33 suspected Israeli spies

by Darryl Coote Washington DC (UPI) Jan 3, 2024 UPI
Turkish authorities have arrested 33 people accused of carrying out "international espionage activities" for Israel, Ankara said.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced the arrests in a statement Tuesday, saying the suspects were detained in a large-scale operation conducted in eight provinces centered around Istanbul.

"We will never allow espionage activities against the national unity and solidarity of our country," he said.

Yerlikaya said those arrested were members of Mossad, and had planned to kidnap and assault foreign nationals in the country they were also spying on.

Searches conducted at 57 addresses as part of the operation resulted in the confiscation of various currencies, valued at nearly $200,000.

An unlicensed gun and a large number of cartridges and digital material were also seized, he said.

"Our fight against organized crime organizations and spies that disturb the peace of our families will continue with determination," he added.

Authorities are searching for at least 13 other suspects, state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

Turkey has been outspoken about its criticism of Israel and its war against Hamas in Gaza that has resulted in some 22,000 dead Palestinians since it began on Oct. 7.

Last month, Turkey's foreign ministry disregarded Israel's defense of its operation, stating "brute force against an entire civilian population by an occupying power cannot be legitimized as self-defense."

The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, is Copyright 1995-2026 Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principles for news reporting and research purposes.