Turkish counterintelligence apprehends seven alleged Mossad agents.

Turkish Counterintelligence Detains Alleged Mossad Agents

Turkish counterintelligence recently detained seven alleged agents of Mossad — Israel’s national intelligence agency — on suspicion of espionage, Ankara’s National Intelligence Organization announced Monday.

According to pro-government local media, all seven suspects have confessed to working for the Israeli spy agency.

The men are believed to have spied on non-Turkish nationals.

The suspects, who carried passports of various Middle Eastern countries, were reportedly members of a 56-member team, which was part of a larger network consisting of nine cells.

Mossad operatives conducted various operations including marking targets for later strikes and spying on Hezbollah’s military leadership, according to the Turkish report.#Turkey | #Israel | #Mossad https://t.co/LmJqdjvAdA

— The Jerusalem Post (@Jerusalem_Post) July 3, 2023

Previous Espionage Arrests and Diplomatic Relations

In May, Turkish officials announced the arrest of 11 people for spying on an Iranian company and individuals with business ties to Tehran. Reports indicated that at least one member of the cell received training in Israel.

Last summer, Jerusalem and Ankara restored full diplomatic ties, aiming to deepen ties between the two peoples and strengthen regional stability, according to then-Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid.

Six months ago, Irit Lillian became the first Israeli ambassador to Turkey since 2018, presenting her credentials to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

Points of Contention

However, significant points of contention between the two countries remain. Notably, Hamas maintains its operational headquarters on Turkish soil, using it to orchestrate and fund terrorism in Judea and Samaria. Erdogan has expelled a handful of Hamas members from Turkish soil in recent months. Turkey’s foreign minister also stated last year that the country does not see Hamas as a terrorist organization.

Produced in association with Jewish News Syndicate.

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