Turkey detains 7 persons suspected of selling information to Israel

Turkish police have detained seven people, including a private detective, suspected of selling information to Israel’s Mossad intelligence service, the state-owned Anadolu news agency said on Wednesday.

According to reports, a former public servant, was suspected of gathering information on Middle Eastern companies and individuals in Turkey, placing tracking devices, and engaging in surveillance.

The sources said the detentions were part of an operation carried out by Turkey’s national intelligence agency Mit and Istanbul’s counter-terrorism police.

Ankara issued no official remark regarding the operation. Israel did not immediately respond on the Anadolu report.

According to the sources, the Turkish detective was educated by Mossad in Serbia’s capital Belgrade and was paid in cryptocurrencies that did not appear in official documents.

In January, a Turkish court ordered the arrest of 15 people and the deportation of eight others who were accused of having links to Mossad and targeting Palestinians in Turkey. In February, Turkey apprehended seven people suspected of selling information to Mossad.

Turkish and Israeli leaders have exchanged public blows since Israel’s conflict with the Palestinian group Hamas began in October.

Turkey has warned Israel of “serious consequences” if it attempts to seek out Hamas militants living outside of the Palestinian territories.