Turkish authorities arrest three defence executives accused of spying

According to the prosecution, three top defense industry executives have been detained by Turkish authorities on suspicion of spying for foreign powers.

The Istanbul public prosecutor’s office announced in a statement on Tuesday that an operation was conducted on November 25, 2025, to apprehend four individuals who had been linked to the conspiracy.

“Through the operation, three people were apprehended, and one person’s arrest warrant was issued for being a foreigner.”

The suspects “occur in senior positions within important defense organizations that are active in our country,” the statement read.

They are accused of trying to send employees to foreign countries with “biographical” information.

The prosecutor’s office initially stated that the suspects worked for the United Arab Emirates’ intelligence services before deleting that statement and publishing a significantly revised version on X without mentioning the UAE.