One out of every three ‘spies’ caught in Germany is from Turkey

Click to read the article in Turkish

The number of investigations launched by the Federal Chief Public Prosecutor's Office in Germany into the activities of foreign intelligence agencies doubled in 2021 when compared to the previous year.

As reported by Deutsche Welle (DW) in reference to Die Welt newspaper, the government has answered a Parliamentary question of the Left Party (Die Linke) and noted that "there has especially been an increase in the number of espionage activities in the name of Turkey."

In 2020, the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched 14 investigations; in 2021, this number increased to 22.

Of these 36 investigations in total, 10 investigations, or one out of every three espionage cases investigated by Germany, were in connection with Turkey's National Intelligence Organization (MİT).

Die Linke MP Sevim Dağdelen, who submitted the Parliamentary question, has said that four of these investigations were launched in 2020 and six were launched in 2021. According to Dağdelen, two of the investigations dated 2021 ended in non-prosecution and no court cases have been filed so far. Dağdelen has accused the government of Germany of inaction.

"It is evident that, for geopolitical reasons, the federal government is apparently still not interested in dismantling the Erdoğan network in Germany," she has said on her social media account, calling on the newly founded Olaf Sholz government to exert more pressure on Turkey.

Increasing espionage activities since July 15

Especially since the failed coup attempt in Turkey on July 15, 2016, there has reportedly been a marked increase in the number of espionage activities in Germany allegedly stemming from Turkey.

Most recently, a 40-year-old man was detained in a luxury hotel in Düsseldorf for alleged espionage activities for Turkey. Bullets and a list of names were seized on the man and the prosecutor's office pointed to a suspicious flow of money in the bank account of the suspect.

It was also reported in the news that Dağdelen herself was targeted by the ultranationalist Grey Wolves (Idealist Hearts) with ties to Turkey's Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). During her election campaign in fall, she was warned by the security units in Germany about a possible attack on her. The security advised Dağdelen to cancel an event that she was planning to attend on September 23, 2021. (AEK/SD)