Turkey Arrested 7 Israeli Spies In A Raid In Istanbul, Caught Selling Personal Data

Illustration of foreign spies undergoing intelligence activities. (Killian Cartignies-Unsplash)

JAKARTA - A total of seven Israeli spies were arrested in simultaneous raid operations at a number of points in Istanbul, Turkey.

Turkish interior minister Ali Yerlikaya said the seven people were arrested in a joint operation with the Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT). They are suspected of selling personal data to company data in Turkey to Israel's core agency, Mossad.

We will never allow espionage activities [spy] to be carried out within our country. We will arrest them one by one and bring them to justice," Yerlikaya quoted Al Jazeera as saying, Tuesday, March 5.

In a video released by the Turkish Ministry of Home Affairs, it was shown that the police raided houses in Istanbul. From this operation, the police confiscated weapons, medicines, and electronic devices.

It is not yet known what articles ensnared these seven Israeli spies. The Israeli side has so far not responded to the arrest of its spy in Turkei.

In February 2024, security forces also grounded seven other people related to Israeli intelligence activities to the Turkish police office.

Meanwhile, in early January 2024, 34 people were suspected of being Israeli spies were arrested by the Turkish police. They are accused of planning to carry out reconnaissance and 'chasing, attacking, and kidnapping' foreign nationals living in Turkey.