Turkey detains 7 for allegedly spying for Israel’s Mossad

Turkish authorities have detained seven suspects on Friday for allegedly selling information to Israeli spy agency Mossad, the state news agency Anadolu reported.

The Wall Street Journal had previously reported that Israel’s secret services were preparing to track down and kill Palestinian Islamist Hamas leaders around the world after the end of the Gaza war.

Ankara had warned the Jewish state of serious consequences if it pursues Hamas inside Turkey.

Anti-terrorism and intelligence service units raided addresses in Istanbul and the Aegean province of İzmir following an arrest warrant from the Istanbul chief public prosecutor’s office, the Anadolu report said.

Two other suspects had separately been arrested previously as part of the same investigation, it added.

The suspects were accused of collecting reconnaissance on potential Mossad targets inside Turkey via private detectives.

They allegedly sold images and tracking data among other things to Mossad, according to Anadolu.

Turkey has recently ramped up targeting alleged Mossad members inside the country.

Ankara fears Mossad is recruiting operatives on Turkish territory to target foreign nationals, with media reports saying certain Hamas militants are in the country.

Turkey maintains links with the Hamas movement.

In January, Turkish police detained 34 people over alleged political or military espionage for Mossad, according to Anadolu.

Islamic conservative Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan rejects classifying Hamas as terrorists, which European countries and the U.S. do.