29 Mar 2024
Sunday 23 February 2014 - 12:47
Story Code : 85328

Turkey intel agency eavesdrops on nationals, foreigners: Official

Turkey intel agency eavesdrops on nationals, foreigners: Official

Turkeys deputy prime minister has admitted that the Turkish intelligence agency eavesdrops on hundreds of Turkish nationals and foreigners.

As of today, National Intelligence Organization (MIT) eavesdrops on 2,473 people. More than half of them are foreigners, Besir Atalay said on Sunday.

The Turkish official added that the eavesdropping is necessary for the agency to find what he described as suspected terrorists.

The Turkish parliament is debating a bill to expand espionage powers of the National Intelligence Organization.

If passed, the new law would allow the intelligence service to conduct undercover operations abroad, and eavesdrop on international calls without legal permission.

This bill will bring the MIT in line with the necessities of the era, grant it the capabilities of other intelligence agencies, and increase its methods and capacity for individual and technical intelligence," read part of the draft document submitted to parliament by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan on February 19.

The bill has already drawn anger from opposition lawmakers.

Engin Altay, an opposition member of parliament, said that Erdogan is completely getting rid of the principle of accountability... The MIT is becoming his private organization. This is a transition from police state to intelligence state.

By Press TV

 

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