Turkish police arrested seven people, including a private detective, suspected of selling information to the Israeli intelligence service Mossad, the Turkish intelligence service announced yesterday.
The detective, who is a former public servant, is suspected of collecting information on Middle Eastern companies and individuals in Turkey by placing tracking and surveillance devices, MIT intelligence said.
A video released by the interior ministry showed police raiding homes in Istanbul and seizing weapons, drugs and electronic devices. "We will never allow espionage activities to be carried out within the borders of our country. We will catch them one by one and bring them to justice," X Foreign Minister Ali Jerlikaja announced online.
According to the MIT announcement, the Turkish detective was trained by the Mossad in Belgrade, Serbia and received payments in cryptocurrency.
In January, a Turkish court ordered the arrest of 15 people and the deportation of another eight on suspicion of being affiliated with the Mossad and targeting Palestinians living in Turkey. In February, Turkey detained seven people suspected of selling information to the Mossad.
Turkey has warned Israel of "serious consequences" if it tries to hunt down Hamas members living outside the Palestinian territories, including Turkey.
Bonus video:
