Turkish intelligence captures two alleged Mossad operatives in Istanbul

Turkish authorities have detained two individuals in Istanbul for alleged espionage activities on behalf of Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency. The National Intelligence Organization (MIT) carried out the operation on Friday in coordination with the Istanbul prosecutor's office and police, culminating in the arrest of the suspects following a lengthy surveillance period.

A Long-Running Alleged Espionage Operation

The suspects are identified as Mehmet Budak Derya, a mining engineer and marble trader, and Veysel Kerimoğlu. According to security sources, Derya was first approached by a Mossad contact in 2012 under the guise of a business proposal. He subsequently traveled to Europe in 2013 to meet with individuals posing as company executives who instructed him to hire Kerimoğlu, a Turkish citizen of Palestinian origin. The pair's international marble trade allegedly served as cover for their intelligence activities.

Activities and Escalation to Drone Trade

Sources allege the network gathered information on Palestinians opposed to Israeli policies and even scouted locations in Gaza. Around 2016, the operation reportedly expanded to include trading drone parts, a venture initiated by Kerimoğlu and approved by Mossad handlers. One alleged target of their drone sales, Mohamed Zouari, was later assassinated in Tunisia in an attack widely attributed to Israeli intelligence.

Advanced Planning and Capture

The investigation revealed that Derya underwent at least two polygraph tests administered by Mossad, in 2016 and 2024, which he reportedly passed. In a key meeting this January, Mossad operatives allegedly discussed plans for Derya to establish a sophisticated front company abroad designed to infiltrate international supply chains. The detainees were apprehended before this plan could be implemented, in an operation codenamed "MONITUM."