2 arrested in Türkiye over alleged Mossad espionage

ISTANBUL

Turkish authorities have arrested two people on charges of espionage for Israel’s intelligence agency, Mossad, during a joint operation by the National Intelligence Organization (MIT), the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, and the Istanbul Police Department.

Officials identified one suspect as Serkan Cicek, who is accused of working directly for Mossad, while lawyer Tugrulhan Dip allegedly sold information to detectives linked to the agency.

After being questioned by prosecutors, both were referred to a criminal court of peace, which ordered their detention on charges of “obtaining confidential state information for political or military espionage.”

Authorities said Cicek, also known as Muhammet Fatih Keles, ran a private detective agency and carried out surveillance in Istanbul on a Palestinian activist at the request of a Mossad operative, receiving $4,000 in cryptocurrency for the assignment.

Dip provided detectives with personal data from public records for financial gain and supported Cicek and other spies. Cicek had previously worked with Musa Kus, who was sentenced to 19 years in prison for spying for Israel.