FETÖ’s political espionage: US based terrorists spied on Turkish govt

In the indictment of a former judge, who was discharged from duty for being a Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETÖ) member, it is stated that the terrorist illegally wired many key figures and organizations such as politicians, bureaucrats, businessmen, academicians, associations, foundations and companies in many locations, including the U.S., for three years and seven months under the pretext of investigation.

The 60-page indictment prepared for former Erzurum Tax Court judge Mehmet Fatih Işık, who was arrested after July 15 and was a ByLock user, indicated that he illegally listened to high-level officials of the state for years using investigations as an excuse and feeding the information he obtained to other countries.

FETÖ members targeted officials in high-ranking government positions, and used their positions to prepare the groundwork to monitor and record communication. It was found that if law enforcement officers were not able to provide just and persuasive documents, they would base their reasons on abstract evidence. In this way, FETÖ could monitor communications with technical devices.

FETÖ members listened to and recorded 239 people within the scope of the investigation that took three years and seven months.

FETÖ decided to monitor 78 people with technical means. FETÖ also used the same tactic in respect to 10 different associations, foundations and locations, and without specifying who or what was part of the investigation.

The FETÖ members who applied for the detection of communication of official figures and institutions extended the illegal listening and recording 1,348 times.

FETÖ identified and recorded interviews with the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) Undersecretary and senior bureaucrats that should have remained confidential in terms of state security and politics.

The terrorist organization also tried to depict humanitarian organizations such as the IHH and other legal entities as in favor of Iran or terrorist organizations such as al-Qaeda.

Considering the provisions of the legislation, it was determined that the listening was carried out from many different locations, one of which was the U.S., although it was illegal to listen from anywhere but the Technical Bureau Authority.

It has been observed FETÖ members who listened to and recorded the transmissions of government members that should have remained confidential, for three years and seven months as part of an investigation, did so for leverage in terms of political espionage. This data was transferred to computers with different IP numbers.FETÖ terrorists are led by U.S.-based Fetullah Gülen, who orchestrated Turkey's July 15 coup attempt and is the mastermind behind a long-running campaign to overthrow the state through the infiltration of Turkish institutions, particularly the military, police and judiciary.

Since the failed coup, operations have been ongoing in the military, police and judiciary as well as in state institutions across the country to arrest suspects with alleged links to FETÖ.

The terrorist group is also known for its network comprised of hundreds of schools around the world.