TRT Haber: Turkish intelligence detains two suspected Mossad spies

Turkish intelligence authorities have detained two individuals accused of conducting espionage on behalf of Israel’s intelligence service, Mossad, TRT Haber reports.

The operation, carried out by the National Intelligence Organisation (MİT) in coordination with Istanbul’s Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office and the anti-terror branch of the city police, targeted Mehmet Budak Derya, a marble trader, and his associate Veysel Kerimoğlu.

Both were taken into custody in Istanbul on suspicion of spying.

According to security sources, Derya, a mining engineer running a marble quarry in Silifke, Mersin, had been under Mossad’s surveillance since 2005 due to his international trade activities.

Reports indicate he first made contact with Mossad operatives in 2013 during a visit to Europe, following an initial approach by an individual using the alias “Ali Ahmed Yassın,” identified as part of a Mossad front company.

Under Mossad directives, Derya recruited Kerimoğlu, a Turkish national of Palestinian descent, to gather intelligence on anti-Israeli Palestinians through his regional contacts. The information collected, including photographs of key warehouses in Gaza, was reportedly transmitted directly to Israeli intelligence. Sources confirm that Kerimoğlu’s salary and operational expenses were funded by Mossad.

The investigation also highlighted a 2016 incident involving Mohamed Zouari, a Tunisian engineer later assassinated. Derya and Kerimoğlu were found to have attempted to sell drone components to Zouari before his death, using Mossad-supplied materials.

Authorities said Derya underwent polygraph tests abroad in 2016 and 2024 as part of Mossad’s operational security procedures. He reportedly used encrypted communications and shared technical data of devices sourced from Türkiye, including SIM cards, modems, and routers, with the Israeli service.

In January 2026, MİT reportedly intercepted plans for a major Mossad operation involving international supply chains and the use of shell companies to move goods through multiple countries before reaching end users. The intelligence agency moved to detain the suspects as the operation entered its final stages.

Police confirmed that both Derya and Kerimoğlu remain in custody while investigations continue.

By Aghakazim Guliyev