Seven people were arrested in Turkey last month on charges of collaborating with the Mossad, Israeli media reported on Tuesday.
Authorities said the seven were caught in a joint operation by the National Intelligence Organization and Istanbul Police. The suspects were arrested for cooperating and providing information to the Israeli intelligence service.
Turkey, including President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, warned Israel lately against any attempt to harm senior Hamas officials on its territory, a Walla report noted. Senior officials in Israel have said since the October 7 attack that all those involved are in its crosshairs, whether they are in the Gaza Strip or in other countries.
In recent months, Turkey has claimed multiple arrests of "Mossad personnel," who, among other things, was "recruited to spy on Palestinians living in the country," Walla reported, also noting the authorities' claim that a private investigator was also among the suspects, who leaked information to the Israeli security agency about people and companies from Middle Eastern countries in exchange for cash.
The private investigator's actions in Turkey
Turkish news source Daily Sabah reported that the private investigator, known as HTA, was contacted by a Mossad operative codenamed "Victoria" and that the investigator was first assigned "simple tasks." He was trained in Belgrade by Mossad operatives five years ago and was required to utilize a messaging app that was encrypted in order to make contact. He also reportedly stalked his targets and placed tracking devices on their vehicles.
Citing security sources, the Daily Sabah reported that the investigator was paid in cryptocurrency to hide the money transfers. HTA was a former police chief in Istanbul's Gungoran district and a TV personality who spoke about security matters.