Turkish news agency Anadolu reported Tuesday that the country’s intelligence agency and security forces arrested seven people in Istanbul suspected of selling information to the Mossad.
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According to reports, among those arrested was a private investigator who previously served as a senior officer in the Istanbul police and also appeared as a security affairs analyst on Turkish television.
The reports in Turkey allege that the same private investigator passed on information dealing with individuals from countries and companies in the Middle East to the Mossad in exchange for money.
They claim that he was recruited by a woman codenamed "Victoria," and initially given "simple tasks." Then, according to the reports, he underwent training in Belgrade in 2019 - and learned to use encrypted messaging apps. The payment, Turkey claimed, was received in cryptocurrency.
Reports in Turkey also claimed that the same private investigator was also involved in placing tracking devices on his targets' cars and provided real-time information about their whereabouts to the Mossad.
Turkey has claimed several times in recent years that it had arrested “Mossad agents” . The current arrests of suspects accused of spying for Israel are taking place against the backdrop of the general deteriorating relations between the countries, following the war against Hamas in the Gaza Strip, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s extreme comments against Israel.
In February, seven suspects were reportedly arrested in Turkey for alleged connections with the Mossad. In January, Turkey claimed that over 30 suspects were arrested on similar suspicions. The Turkish court decided to deport eight suspects for "conspiring with the Mossad" and "taking actions against Palestinians living in Turkey."