Turkish police apprehended 33 individuals accused of spying on behalf of Mossad, Israel’s international intelligence company, and concentrating on foreigners residing within the nation, Turkey’s inside minister mentioned Tuesday.
Last month, officers in Ankara warned Israel that it could face “serious consequences” if its brokers tried to assassinate Hamas officers on Turkish soil.
“We will never allow espionage activities against the national unity and solidarity of our country,” Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya mentioned on social media.
The Turkish police raid, Operation Mole, was launched concurrently in eight areas nationwide. The state prosecutor’s counterterrorism bureau and MIT, Turkey’s intelligence company, supervised the raid.
Turkish authorities mentioned they seized giant quantities of international money in the course of the raid, together with greater than 143,000 Euros — value $157,000 — together with $23,680 in U.S. forex. They additionally positioned an unlicensed firearm, cartridges and digital gadgets.
“Our fight against organized crime organizations and spies that disturb the peace of our families will continue with determination,” Mr. Yerlikaya mentioned on X.
Turkey, a NATO member, doesn’t take into account Hamas a terrorist group and has hosted leaders of the militant group.
The head of Israel’s Shin Bet safety company mentioned in a recording aired by Israeli TV final month that it had the inexperienced mild to kill Hamas leaders wherever they could possibly be discovered, together with Turkey.
“It will take a few years, but we will be there in order to do it,” Shin Bet Chief Ronen Bar mentioned, in line with The Times of Israel. “The Cabinet set a goal for us: to take out Hamas, and we are determined to do it.”
Mr. Bar in contrast it to the yearslong effort to assassinate Palestinian terrorists who killed 11 Israeli athletes and coaches in the course of the 1972 Munich Olympics.
