Turkey Breaks Up United Arab Emirates-Linked Spy Cell

The Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MIT), in coordination with the Counterterrorism Directorate of the Istanbul Police, has dismantled a spy cell operating on behalf of the intelligence service of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to a statement issued by the Istanbul Prosecutor’s Office on 25 November 2025.

The statement noted that UAE intelligence operatives had used phone numbers obtained inside Turkey to run fake accounts designed to gather sensitive information. This included data on senior officials in Türkiye’s defense-industry institutions, the use of a phone belonging to the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as attempts to contact employees in sensitive posts and collect biographical information about them.

According to the statement, four individuals were identified as being linked to these activities. Three were detained during the security operation, while the fourth suspect was found to be outside the country; an arrest warrant has been issued in his name.

The Prosecutor’s Office asserted that investigations are ongoing and that evidence and materials connected to the espionage activity were seized during the operation.