Secret Service thwarts Iranian attempt on Turkish-Israeli businessman

0

Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization (MIT) recently uncovered an Iranian-led plot to assassinate an Israeli-Turkish businessman using a network of suspected hitmen. Yair Geller, an Istanbul-based tycoon with investments in the machinery and defense industries, was the target of the network of nine people tracking his every move.

MIT’s counterintelligence arm discovered that Iran’s intelligence agency had set up a network in Turkey to target Geller, allegedly in response to the 2020 “assassination” of Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh in what Tehran considered an Israeli operation.

Security sources said MIT’s Istanbul Regional Directorate conducted a month-long surveillance operation before recently capturing the network members.

The spy network took photos of Geller, 75, wherever he went and secretly monitored his company’s headquarters in Istanbul’s Çatalca district and his home in Beşiktaş. Meanwhile, Turkish intelligence agents were monitoring the gang’s every move and discovered that the Iranian agency was employing Turkish citizens to avoid detection.

Once MIT concluded that the network had completed the reconnaissance stage of its mission, it contacted Mossad to inform the Israeli intelligence community that the gang planned to move on to the next stage of its plan: assassinate Geller. . Officials from the two intelligence agencies held a secret meeting in the capital Ankara and decided to move Geller to a safe house, where Mossad agents would provide him with protection. Geller refused Tel Aviv’s offer to relocate him to Israel for his safety, saying he would not leave Istanbul, a city he loves. After transferring Geller to the safehouse, Turkish security forces launched an operation against the spy ring. Eight suspects were detained and arrested on charges of leading a criminal organization and belonging to a criminal organization. Most were Turkish nationals, with the exception of SMB, a 44-year-old Iranian accused of running the network. YT, a suspect linked to Iranian intelligence services, remains at large and is accused of running the network from Iran.

Investigations showed that the Iranian network was careful not to get caught, often changing phones and numbers and only communicating with each other online when needed.

Last October, MIT also uncovered a Mossad-controlled spy ring and a six-person Russian spy team planning to assassinate dissidents in Turkey.

Also in 2021, a team of Iranian spies accused of plotting to kidnap a former Iranian military official in Turkey were captured. In February 2021, an Iranian citizen was arrested for helping plan the murder of Iranian dissident Masoud Molavi Vardanjani in Istanbul in 2019.

Sabah’s daily newsletter

Keep up to date with what is happening in Turkey, in its region and in the world.


You can unsubscribe anytime. By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Share.

Comments are closed.