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Turkish intelligence agencies captured a lawyer who sold information to private detectives working for Israel's Mossad intelligence service in a joint counterintelligence operation in Istanbul, security sources said on Friday.
Tugrulhan Dip was detained by the National Intelligence Organization, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, and the Istanbul Police Department's Counter-Terrorism Branch following an investigation into espionage activities, according to security sources.
Dip provided support to Serkan Cicek, a private detective detained by Turkish authorities for conducting espionage for Mossad, security sources noted. Authorities identified Dip as one of several individuals who assisted Cicek in his operations.
Authorities determined Dip worked with multiple detectives conducting espionage for Mossad, including Musa Kus, who was sentenced to 19 years in prison for working for Israel.
Dip assisted detectives in obtaining personal data from public records in exchange for financial gain, according to the investigation. He sold information to detectives through an illegal query system he created, described as a panel by authorities.
The detectives who worked with Dip offered the information they received to Israel's Mossad intelligence service and used it in espionage activities, authorities said.
The National Intelligence Organization (MIT) conducted an operation codenamed "Metron" targeting Cicek after determining he was working for Israel, security sources said.
Intelligence work revealed Cicek maintained contact with Faysal Rasheed, a member of the "Israel Online Operations Center." Cicek accepted an assignment from Rasheed to conduct espionage operations against a Palestinian activist opposed to Israel's Middle East policies.
Authorities determined Cicek, whose real name is Muhammet Fatih Keles, changed his name after accumulating significant business debts. He left commerce and established "Pandora Detective Agency" in 2020.
Cicek became acquainted with Kus and Dip, both involved in providing personal data from public records to detectives for financial compensation. He worked with both Kus, currently imprisoned, and Dip in these activities.
Rasheed, a Mossad agent, contacted Cicek through WhatsApp on July 31, presenting himself as a foreign law firm employee. He requested a four-day surveillance operation targeting a Palestinian activist living in Istanbul's Basaksehir who opposed Israel's Middle East policies.
Rasheed paid Cicek $4,000 in cryptocurrency on Aug. 1 for the assignment.
Cicek discovered through internet research that the target was a Palestinian activist. Despite knowing Kus had been sentenced to 19 years in prison for working for Israel, Cicek accepted Rasheed's offer, authorities said.
Cicek traveled to the address Rasheed provided but could not locate the target individual. He entered the residential complex on Aug. 1-2 under the pretext of looking for rental apartments to conduct reconnaissance work but failed to gather the requested information. Rasheed terminated contact with Cicek on Aug. 3.
Authorities conducted operations at three separate addresses linked to Cicek, including a law office. Processing of Cicek continues at police headquarters.
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