A Turkish agent confessed to spying in Austria

Austria will press charges against a man who confessed to spying for the Turkish secret services, and authorities are investigating other suspicious espionage activities, the interior minister said, warning Turkey that this would not be tolerated.

“This is an exercise of influence by a foreign power in Austria and this cannot be accepted in any way,” Carl Nehammer told a news conference on Tuesday.

There is clear evidence of Turkish influence in Austria, said Franz Rouf, director general of public security. Following the violent clashes in June in Vienna between Turkish and Kurdish groups, extensive Austrian police investigations had been carried out.

One person fully admitted that he had been “recruited by the Turkish secret services to spy on other Turkish or Austrian nationals with a Turkish immigrant background and then report them to the Turkish security authorities,” Nehamer said, adding that justice will be served. complaints of alleged espionage. He did not give details about this person.

Austria found that at least 30 Austrians were detained in Turkey between 2018 and 2020 after entering the country, and there are indications that the Turkish secret services tried to recruit them, the interior minister said.

“Turkish espionage has no place in Austria. There is no place for Turkish influence on freedom and fundamental rights in Austria. We will fight vigorously against them,” Nehamer said, adding that Europol and the presidency of the European Council have been informed.

Turkey’s foreign minister did not have a direct comment.

Source: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ