06.02.2026 08:54
The National Intelligence Organization conducted an operation against two individuals identified as working for the Israeli Intelligence Service Mossad as a result of the "MONITUM Activity." As part of the operation, Mehmet Budak Derya and Veysel Kerimoğlu were detained.
The MIT, in collaboration with the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and the Istanbul Provincial Police Department's Anti-Terrorism Branch, detained Mehmet Budak Derya and Veysel Kerimoğlu, who were identified as working for Mossad.
FROM MARBLE TRADING TO ISRAELI SPYING
According to a report in Habertürk, Mehmet Budak Derya, a Mining Engineer, established his own company in 2005 and opened a marble quarry in Mersin/Silifke. He began trading with many countries around the world. This caught the attention of the Israeli Intelligence Service.
The person with the codename Ali Ahmed Yassın, an official of a front company established by Israel, visited Mehmet Budak Derya in his office in September 2012 and stated that his company wanted to do business with him. He invited him to a European country to meet his bosses. Seeing this as a business opportunity, Mehmet Budak Derya met with members of the Israeli Intelligence Service under the guise of being the owner of a company in Europe in January 2013.
The individuals he met with discussed matters related to the marble trade they would undertake. An Israeli intelligence officer with the codename Luis instructed M.B. Derya to hire Veysel Kerimoğlu, a Turkish citizen of Palestinian descent. Mehmet Budak Derya received instructions to provide them with information about the activities they conducted together with Kerimoğlu. Simultaneously, Ali Ahmed Yassın, who initially contacted Mehmet Budak Derya, also guided Veysel Kerimoğlu to work with M.B. Derya.
THEY FOUND WORKERS TO ELEVATE THEIR SOURCES' POSITION
Following the instructions he received from members of the Israeli Intelligence Service, Mehmet Budak Derya hired Veysel Kerimoğlu and even obtained his salary from the intelligence agents, while also developing a friendship. M.B. Derya shared every step they took with V. Kerimoğlu with the Israeli service.
Through Veysel Kerimoğlu, Mehmet Budak Derya increased his commercial activities towards Middle Eastern countries. Again, thanks to V. Kerimoğlu, he developed social and commercial relations with Palestinians who opposed Israel's policies towards Middle Eastern countries. He relayed the information he gathered about these individuals to the Israeli service.