Türkiye Detains Suspects in Multiple Espionage Cases as Similar Incidents Surface Across Europe
By Bosphorus News Staff
Turkish authorities have carried out a series of counter-espionage operations in recent weeks, detaining suspects accused of working for foreign intelligence services, as comparable cases involving military personnel, infrastructure sabotage and suspicious deaths have emerged across Europe.
In early February, Türkiye’s National Intelligence Organization (MİT), working with the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, detained two Turkish nationals on suspicion of spying for Israel’s intelligence service, Mossad.
In information released on 6 February 2026 and cited by Turkish media, authorities said the operation was conducted under the codename “MONITUM”, involving coordinated action by intelligence and counterterrorism units. Officials said the suspects allegedly gathered information through social, commercial and international contacts and transmitted it to Mossad using encrypted communication channels. Judicial proceedings are ongoing.
Iran-Linked Espionage Case in Türkiye
The Mossad investigation followed a separate counter-intelligence operation targeting alleged Iranian espionage activity inside Türkiye.
In late January, Turkish security services arrested six suspects, including one Iranian national, on suspicion of spying for Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). According to prosecutors, the group was accused of collecting sensitive information on military and strategic sites.
“Turkish authorities said the suspects were in direct contact with intelligence officers linked to the IRGC and gathered sensitive information on military installations, including the Incirlik Air Base,” according to officials cited by Reuters.
Authorities stressed that the Mossad and IRGC related investigations were handled as separate cases, each initiated through distinct intelligence findings.
Greece and NATO-Related Incidents
Beyond Türkiye, Greek authorities confirmed the arrest of a senior Hellenic Air Force officer on 5 February on espionage charges. Greek officials said the officer was detained under military law on suspicion of leaking classified information, including material linked to NATO structures.
Separately, a cross-border investigation coordinated by Eurojust led to arrests in Germany, Greece and Romania in connection with the attempted sabotage of German Navy vessels. Prosecutors said the suspects allegedly tampered with corvettes under construction at a shipyard in Hamburg, prompting a joint inquiry involving multiple European jurisdictions.
Russia and Cyprus: Violent and Unclear Cases
In Russia, a senior military commander was shot dead in early February, according to Russian state media. Authorities said a criminal investigation had been launched, but no official attribution or motive has been confirmed.
In Cyprus, police are investigating the deaths of two Russian nationals in separate incidents. In mid-January, the body of a Russian businessman was recovered off the island’s southern coast after he was reported missing from Limassol. Days earlier, a Russian diplomat was found dead in a hotel room in Paphos. Cypriot authorities have said investigations remain ongoing and have not publicly linked the cases.
Iran–Israel Dimension
The regional backdrop has also included developments in Iran, where authorities announced the execution of a man convicted of spying for Mossad in late January. Iranian officials said the sentence followed a judicial process under national security legislation.
While officials in each country have described the cases as separate investigations, the incidents have unfolded within a short time frame and across multiple jurisdictions, involving allegations of espionage, sabotage and targeted violence. Authorities have emphasized that conclusions will depend on judicial outcomes rather than political interpretation.