At least thirty-three individuals suspected of planning abductions and spying for Israel’s Mossad were arrested, Turkey’s Interior Minister Ali Yerilkaya announced on social media on Tuesday, January 2.
He said the police raided 57 locations in eight provinces across the country in “Operation Mole,” which was launched by the Istanbul prosecutor’s counter-terrorism bureau and Turkey’s MIT intelligence agency.
He wrote on X that the suspects were believed to be planning to identify, monitor, assault, and kidnap foreign nationals living on Turkish soil.
During the search operations, authorities also found 143,830 euros, an unlicensed gun, and digital files. “We will never allow espionage activities against the national unity and solidarity of our country!” the Turkish minister said.
The raids came weeks after Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s warning to Israel of “serious consequences” if they attempted to target or assault members of the Palestinian militant group Hamas living on Turkish soil.
“There is a surreptitious operation and sabotage attempts being made against Turkey and its interests,” Erdogan said after the development unfolded. “We will definitely destroy this game,” he said.
The Israel-Turkey relationship crumpled after Israel began bombarding Palestinian civilians in Gaza, making Erdogan one of the harshest critics of the Israeli government.
Last week, Erdogan compared Israel’s President Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler and urged Israel’s Western allies to withdraw their support for the ‘terrorism’ inducing Israeli troopers. Moreover, the Turkish leader has urged for the trial of Israeli commanders and political leaders at the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
Additionally, President Erdogan’s ruling Islamic conservative party led thousands of protestors out on the streets of Istanbul on Monday. It was one of the biggest anti-Israeli rallies of the entire war.
