A prosecutor is demanding up to 20 years in prison for four suspects, including two Iranian nationals, who face charges of selling a number of confidential documents belonging to the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) and National Intelligence Organization (MİT), as well as other public agencies, to Iranian intelligence officers Today`s Zaman reported
An Erzurum prosecutor submitted his indictment to the Erzurum 4th High Criminal Court on Monday in a court case in which 11 people are being tried, and sought imprisonment of four suspects, who allegedly sold the documents for as little as TL 800. During the hearing on Monday morning, the prosecutor sought prison sentences of 15 to 20 years.
According to the 115-page indictment completed by the Erzurum Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, the Iranian agents made extensive inquiries about the executive members of the pro-Kurdish Peace and Democracy Party (BDP). One of the suspects, Kamil Aras, said in his testimony that he was asked by Iranian intelligence agents to photograph BDP buildings in Igdır as well as the governor's office and military buildings in the area. Aras denied having shared any information with the agents.
The prosecution claims that the Iranian government, as per state policy, had knowingly set up obstacles to Turkish businesspeople at customs points and then had state agents approach these people, as if to help them, and facilitate their exit and entry transactions. Later, these people were asked to gather information, and some were allegedly paid for carrying out such requests. The defendants face charges of acquiring and selling confidential documents crucial to national security.
The prosecution had also previously presented as evidence memos which included detailed information on Turkey's recent military purchases, as well as including in the indictment an espionage memo that details information on oil that was found in İncesu, an area between the city of Igdır and the town of Tuzluca in the province of Igdır. According to the memo, there are three gendarmerie stations being built near the area and additional oil exploration efforts are under way. The indictment has also established that Timur Agrı, another suspect, allegedly paid between TL 800 and 900 to acquire information from a person mentioned only by the first name Abdurrahman.
This is not the only case in which Iran intelligence has so far been involved in alleged spying activities in Turkey. In August last year, seven suspects who were detained in the investigation into an Iranian spy ring found to be operating in the eastern province of Igdır, bordering Iran, were arrested.
The Igdır Governor's Office announced in a written statement at the time that police had detained eight Turkish suspects in simultaneous operations on charges of spying for Iranian intelligence. The arrests stemmed from the expansion of an investigation by police after the arrest of two Iranian citizens and one Turkish citizen on Aug. 19, 2011, all of whom were found, according to police reports, in possession of digital recorders with information on state security.
According to security sources, the group had plans to foment an uprising among the Kurdish population in southern and southeastern Turkey, especially in the provinces of Igdır and Kars. The suspects face accusations of obtaining information about military personnel, the positions of troops in eastern Turkey, official buildings and the Syrian opposition to share with Iranian intelligence.