A Turkish court has ordered the arrest of two men accused of spying for Israel’s intelligence service Mossad, following a joint operation by Turkey’s intelligence and national police, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported on Monday.
Mehmet Budak Derya and Veysel Kerimoğlu were detained last week in İstanbul after being under surveillance by Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MİT).
They are accused of obtaining confidential state information for political or military espionage purposes.
According to the investigation file cited by Anadolu, the suspects had allegedly been in contact with Mossad operatives since 2013 and used commercial activities as a cover to collect and transmit information. The prosecutors said digital materials seized during the investigation contained extensive communication records and evidence of encrypted messaging.
Prosecutors also allege the suspects maintained contact with Israeli intelligence officers in several European countries over the years and received payments in return for their activities. They are also accused of gathering information on individuals and facilities of interest to Israeli intelligence, particularly in the Middle East.
An İstanbul court on Monday ruled to arrest both men pending trial. The investigation is ongoing and could expand to include additional suspects, Anadolu said.
Turkey’s national police department and MİT have conducted a series of operations over the past several years in which dozens of people suspected of planning kidnappings and engaging in espionage for Mossad were detained. Some of the detainees were later arrested.