Türkiye arrests agent who transfers money to Israeli intelligence

Turkish security forces have arrested a Kosovo citizen accused of running an Israeli intelligence money network in Turkey, a security source said on Tuesday.

The source said Liridon Rexhepi had transferred money to Israel's field agents in Turkey, who had spied on Palestinian politicians and taken drone footage of them.

They said the agents also collected information on the situation in Syria.

“Rexhepi made numerous money transfers via Western Union to field agents in Turkey,” the source said.

“His activities were monitored by Turkish intelligence when he entered Turkey on August 25.”

The source said Rexhepi was arrested by Istanbul police on August 30 and admitted to making money transfers during his police questioning. An Istanbul court sent him to prison, the source added.

Turkish security sources believe that the Israeli secret service Mossad has used Eastern European countries, especially Kosovo, to finance its informants and agents on the ground in Turkey.

“Rexhepi made numerous money transfers to field staff in Turkey via Western Union”

– Turkish security source

“Through money tracking, it was established that the agents in Turkey transferred the money coming from Kosovo to their subordinates in Syria via Western Union,” the source added.

“It was also found that agents in Turkey were paying for their resources in Syria with cryptocurrency.”

In recent years, Turkish security forces have regularly arrested suspected Israeli informants and active networks in the country.

As bilateral relations between the two countries deteriorated following the Israeli invasion of Gaza, Ankara increased its efforts to further track Israeli intelligence activities.