Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan.31
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend
During the recent corruption scandal investigation, the phone of Turkish President Abdullah Gul was tapped, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, Haber7 TV Channel reported today.
Erdogan said that along with the president's phone, conversations of other officials were wiretapped as well.
It was also reported that Turkish intelligence has determined the place where special apparatus was installed to carry out the wiretap of the prime minister's phone calls.
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.
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 until 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 ML
edited by SM