Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan.22
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
Turkish intelligence has determined the place where special apparatus was installed to wiretap telephone conversations of the country's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Turkish Milliyet newspaper reported on Jan.22.
The apparatus for wiretapping was installed in the prime minister's cabinet where a special transmitter was also revealed, according to the newspaper.
During the investigation of the corruption scandal in Turkey, it was discovered that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's phone conversations had been wiretapped.
A year ago Istanbul police received information about serious corruption offenses and phone conversations of a number of the country's officials including the prime minister who were wiretapped throughout this year.
The head of the Turkish Telecommunications Directorate, Cemaletdin Chelik was dismissed in connection with the illegal wiretapping of the Turkish prime minister's phone.
Chelik worked at the Turkish National Intelligence Organisation tuntil 2012.
Turkish police conducted special operations in Istanbul and Ankara on Dec.17, 2013, resulting in the arrest of several dozen people including businessmen and the sons of some ministers. The detainees were accused of corruption, smuggling and selling drugs.
The Mayor of Istanbul's Fatih Municipality, Mustafa Demir, Director General of Turkish Halkbank Suleyman Aslan and well known entrepreneur Ali Agaoglu were arrested during the same operation by police. Searches were conducted at Halkbank's office.
After a meeting with Turkish President Abdullah Gul in late December, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced a new cabinet of ministers.
Translated by L.Z.
Edited by S.M.