AKP’s espionage activity in Sweden exposed

The audio recordings show the Union of European Turkish Democrats Sweden Chair Özer Eken forcing a man named Murat to gather information through promises, blackmail and threats.

Eken promises to help Murat, who wants to visit a sick relative in Turkey but doesn’t dare go back, in return for aiding the Turkish state and providing names of dissidents.

Eken also threatens Murat and says: “What I’m going to tell you is this, if you help the state, the state will help you. Brother, your name is on the AKP dissidents list. They want to know of all activity here. If you don’t provide concrete information, you are done for.”

“THEY WILL TAKE YOUR WIFE AS A HOSTAGE”

Murat asks if anything will happen to him if he goes to Turkey, and receives the answer: “If you go to Turkey, there is a risk that you will be arrested. You and your wife. They will take your wife as a hostage. I’m telling you, they will hold her. A couple of months ago, a man from Celepli was reported as a PKK member. The man left Turkey, but his wife stayed. They caught her when she tried to leave Turkey.”

Eken tells Murat that they will help him in return for the information and adds: “You know I have long arms. I can talk with the Prime Minister and the President. I know that if you help the state, the state will help you.”

THE GATHERED INTELLIGENCE IS SENT DIRECTLY TO YILDIRIM AND ERDOĞAN

The audio recordings show that AKP has set up an espionage apparatus and the information gathered through it goes directly to Prime Minister Yıldırım and President Erdoğan.

Eker repeatedly states that he has a close relationship with PM Binali Yıldırım and tells Murat to give the information he gathers not to the embassy but directly to him. He says he will relay the information to the PM himself.

AKP’s espionage and profiling activity in Sweden is carried out systemmically through the UETD, the Turkish Embassy and the Turks Abroad and Relative Communities Representation.

A source who wishes to remain anonymous due to security concerns spoke to the ANF and said that after the July 15 coup attempt, AKP sent intelligence agents to Sweden to determine the names of Gülenists and dissidents and 3 separate lists prepared by the Turks Abroad and Relative Communities Representation have been sent to the Turkish state.

The embassy’s profiling and espionage activity is carried out by the MİT members stationed in the embassy and imams.

IMAMS CARRY OUT ESPIONAGE

MİT members send the people they trick into working for them to the Kurdish associations and events planned by HDP. They ask them to take photos and gather information on the attendees.

There is extensive espionage activity in the mosques under the Religious Affairs Directorate in the Embassy. 14 imams work in 9 mosques in Sweden under the RAD. The sources Ekot News Agency spoke to say the imams in the mosques systemically profile dissidents and send their lists to Turkey.

Emre Oğuz spoke to Ekot and said: “The imams working for the RAD are obliged to report who comes in to the mosques. I spoke to the imams before the coup attempt in 2015. This is their special duty. They are obliged to write reports on the congregation and who comes in to the mosques. If there are PKK sympathizers among the attendees, they are reported.”

BEFORE IT WAS JUST PKK MEMBERS, NOW IT’S EVERYBODY

Oğuz said the imams started to write more extensive reports after the coup attempt and added: “The most important difference is that before, it was the PKK members and the general events in the mosque were reported, now they are gathering intelligence on everyone.”

Oğuz pointed out that no action was taken in Turkey on the people who were reported before the July 15 coup attempt but now, the profiled persons are arrested when they go to Turkey.

Ekot attempted to contact the Turkish Ambassador Kaya Türkmen to get information on the extensive espionage activity but their request was refused without a reason.

Laws in Sweden ban espionage and intelligence gathering activity on the country’s citizens. Individuals involved in espionage efforts are punished with up to 4 years in prison.

International Law Professor Ove Bring said Eken’s threats and blackmail can be considered “Espionage” and are against Swedish law.

WALLSTRÖM: THERE WILL BE LEGAL AND POLITICAL REPERCUSSIONS

Sweden’s Foreign Minister Margot Wallström stated that foreign ministry officials spoke to the Turkish Embassy on the phone but there was no reason to call the ambassador to her office.

Wallström said they discussed the espionage allegations with the Turkish ambassador one year ago and added: “If the Turkish government carried out espionage activity in Sweden, there will be legal and political consequences for that.”

Liberal Party MP and Foreign Policy Spokesperson Birgitta Ohlsson reacted harshly to the Turkish state profiling dissidents and demanded the Swedish Foreign Minister to call the Turkish ambassador to her office.

After Ekot published the story, as the Swedish News Agency announced the events to their subscribers, the Turkish state’s espionage activity was mentioned in almost all Swedish media outlets.

Source: Firat News Agency