Turkish authorities have arrested a Kosovar national accused of managing the financial operations of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency in Turkey, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.
The suspect, identified as Liridon Rexhepi, was apprehended Friday after entering Turkey on August 25.
The arrest, coordinated by Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MİT) and the Istanbul police, came after an investigation into suspicious financial activities linked to Mossad operatives in Turkey. Rexhepi allegedly transferred significant sums of money to Mossad agents, who are accused of conducting intelligence operations against Palestinian politicians and gathering information on Syrian affairs. These funds were reportedly sent via Western Union and later converted into cryptocurrency for further use in Syria.
During his interrogation, Rexhepi admitted to facilitating the money transfers. Turkish officials claim this arrest is part of a broader crackdown on Israeli intelligence activities in the country. Since the beginning of 2024, Turkish authorities have detained dozens of individuals accused of spying for Israel, many of whom were allegedly gathering information on Palestinians residing in Turkey.
The arrest of Rexhepi, described as a high-profile operative within Mossad’s financial network, comes at a time of heightened tensions between Turkey and Israel, following the October 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel, which has led to a large-scale military campaign by Israel in Gaza.
Israel has not officially commented on Rexhepi’s arrest or the broader allegations made by Turkey.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, who refuses to recognize Hamas as a terrorist group unlike his country’s Western allies, accuses Israel of committing a “genocide” and “war crimes” in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza.
The ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza has intensified scrutiny of Turkey’s trade practices with Israel. President Erdoğan’s government recently restricted exports to Israel, but revelations of continued trade have sparked criticism and raised questions about Turkey’s support for Israel.
Turkey in August formally submitted a petition to intervene in South Africa’s genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague.