Recording purports to show Turkish officials discussing Syria operation
ISTANBUL - An anonymous YouTube account on Thursday posted what it said was an audio recording of Turkey's intelligence chief discussing possible military operations in Syria with the foreign minister and the deputy head of the armed forces.
Reuters could not verify the authenticity of the recording, potentially the most damaging purported leak so far as it appeared to have originated from the bugging of a highly confidential and sensitive conversation. The foreign ministry was not immediately available to comment while the military could not immediately be reached.
The YouTube account presents the recording as being of intelligence chief Hakan Fidan discussing with Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Deputy Chief of Staff Yasar Guler and other officials a possible operation to secure the tomb of Suleyman Shah, grandfather of the founder of the Ottoman Empire, in an area of northern Syria largely controlled by militant Islamists. (Reuters)
