Turkish authorities have detained three people in an espionage probe alleging that operatives working for the United Arab Emirates attempted to collect biographical data on executives in Türkiye’s defense industry and other critical institutions, the Istanbul Chief Prosecutor’s Office said Monday.
The investigation — carried out jointly by the Istanbul police counterterrorism unit and the National Intelligence Organization — found that members of UAE intelligence obtained a Turkish mobile phone line and used fake online profiles to target senior personnel at key defense industry organizations.
According to the prosecutor’s office, the effort also sought information on a phone line used by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and on contacts involving official representatives of several foreign countries.
Four-member network identified
Authorities said four individuals purchased the GSM line from a Türkiye-based operator, transferred it to the UAE and provided it to an intelligence officer for use in these information-gathering activities. Investigators determined that the suspects remained in contact with each other while coordinating the operation.
Security forces launched an operation on 25 November to detain the identified suspects. Three were arrested in Istanbul, while a fourth — confirmed to be abroad — is now subject to an outstanding arrest warrant.
Similar espionage arrests in Türkiye
Turkish security forces have arrested multiple suspects in recent years accused of spying for Israeli, Russian, and Iranian intelligence services.