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Turkish authorities have charged a Kosovan national with "espionage against the state" after he channelled funds to agents for Israel’s external spy agency Mossad, according to two security officials and state media, in a case likely to further strain relations between the two countries.
Liridon Rexhepi entered Turkey on August 25 and was arrested five days later in Istanbul by a counter-terrorism unit, following work by the Turkish intelligence service MIT. He is being remanded in custody awaiting trial and sentencing, a Turkish security source told The National.
"MIT determined that Liridon Rexhepi was the person who managed Mossad's money network in Turkey," the source said.
A second Turkish security source confirmed to The National that Mr Rexhepi has been charged with "espionage against the state," after authorities concluded that he transferred money to Mossad field agents in Turkey who were operating drones, conducting “psychological operations” against Palestinian politicians and compiling information about Syria for Israel. He admitted to making money transfers in a statement to the police, one of the sources added.
“As a result of operations conducted by the National Intelligence Organisation, it was determined that Mossad provided money transfers to its field personnel in Turkey from Eastern European countries, especially Kosovo,” one of the sources said. Wires of unspecified amounts were made through Western Union, the source said, while other transactions involving agents in Syria used cryptocurrency. It was not clear when the transactions were made or over what period of time they continued.
In a statement, Istanbul's counter-terrorism directorate also said that Rexhepi held meetings with Israeli intelligence agents, "collected information and documents about individuals targeted by the Israeli intelligence service in Turkey", and "took photographs, videos and drone shots" at targets' homes.
A second individual identified only as Y. B. was detained at the same time as Rexhepi, but was later released, the statement added. The counter-terrorism directorate released video of the arrest operation, showing police officers leading two handcuffed men into an unmarked vehicle.
The Israeli embassy in Ankara has declined to comment.
Relations between Turkey and Israel have soured dramatically since the October 7 attacks by Hamas on southern Israel, which killed about 1,200 people and led to the war in Gaza. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and other Turkish leaders have voiced support for Hamas and criticised Israel's conduct in its military operations, which have killed more than 40,800 people in the Palestinian enclave since the war began.
Turkey banned trade with Israel in May over the war and Mr Erdogan and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have traded barbs on social media.
Israeli officials have criticised the Turkish government for hosting Hamas members in the country and said the trade ban harms companies from both countries. Before the war, the two nations shared trade worth hundreds of millions of dollars a month and had been rebuilding bilateral relations bruised by previous rifts. Despite the current fallout, Israel and Turkey have not cut their diplomatic ties.
The Turkish government has come under significant public pressure over its ties with Israel. Hundreds of protesters gathered in Istanbul on Sunday to demand a boycott of companies they accuse of supporting Israel, and last week activists, including Palestinians, were arrested in the same city for protesting against Azerbaijani oil exports to Israel, which flow through a pipeline across Turkey before being shipped over the Mediterranean Sea, the demonstrators said.
Turkey has conducted previous operations to arrest alleged operatives from Mossad and other countries' intelligence services.
“The publication of stories about supposedly Mossad agents being arrested in Turkey are on the rise in recent years,” Gallia Lindenstrauss, a senior research fellow at the Tel Aviv-based Institute for National Security Studies, told The National.
“They are a reflection of the sharp deterioration in the relations between Turkey and Israel and that the countries have fewer shared interests and hence it is also less important to maintain working security co-operation.”
This year, Turkish security forces announced they had arrested about three dozen people across the country accused of spying for Israel. Turkish police and intelligence forces raided 57 sites across eight provinces, apprehending 33 people suspected of working for Mossad.
“Obviously, such stories are also meant to be embarrassing for Israel,” Ms Lindenstrauss said. “In previous instances, Israel did not respond to the allegations and this is likely to be the case this time.”
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
SHOW COURTS ORDER OF PLAY
Wimbledon order of play on Saturday, July 8
All times UAE ( 4 GMT)
Centre Court (4pm)
Agnieszka Radwanska (9) v Timea Bacsinszky (19)
Ernests Gulbis v Novak Djokovic (2)
Mischa Zverev (27) v Roger Federer (3)
Court 1 (4pm)
Milos Raonic (6) v Albert Ramos-Vinolas (25)
Anett Kontaveit v Caroline Wozniacki (5)
Dominic Thiem (8) v Jared Donaldson
Court 2 (2.30pm)
Sorana Cirstea v Garbine Muguruza (14)
To finish: Sam Querrey (24) leads Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (12) 6-2, 3-6, 7-6, 1-6, 6-5
Angelique Kerber (1) v Shelby Rogers
Sebastian Ofner v Alexander Zverev (10)
Court 3 (2.30pm)
Grigor Dimitrov (13) v Dudi Sela
Alison Riske v Coco Vandeweghe (24)
David Ferrer v Tomas Berdych (11)
Court 12 (2.30pm)
Polona Hercog v Svetlana Kuznetsova (7)
Gael Monfils (15) v Adrian Mannarino
Court 18 (2.30pm)
Magdalena Rybarikova v Lesia Tsurenko
Petra Martic v Zarina Diyas
The specs: 2019 BMW i8 Roadster
Price, base: Dh708,750
Engine: 1.5L three-cylinder petrol, plus 11.6 kWh lithium-ion battery
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power: 374hp (total)
Torque: 570Nm (total)
Fuel economy, combined: 2.0L / 100km
Keep it fun and engaging
Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at AES International, says children cannot learn something overnight, so it helps to have a fun routine that keeps them engaged and interested.
“I explain to my daughter that the money I draw from an ATM or the money on my bank card doesn’t just magically appear – it’s money I have earned from my job. I show her how this works by giving her little chores around the house so she can earn pocket money,” says Mr Ritchie.
His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.
He also recommends books that teach the importance of money management for children, such as The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric Edelman and Jean Edelman.
Generation Start-up: Awok company profile
Started: 2013
Founder: Ulugbek Yuldashev
Sector: e-commerce
Size: 600 plus
Stage: still in talks with VCs
Principal Investors: self-financed by founder
The biog
Favourite film: Motorcycle Dairies, Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday, Kagemusha
Favourite book: One Hundred Years of Solitude
Holiday destination: Sri Lanka
First car: VW Golf
Proudest achievement: Building Robotics Labs at Khalifa University and King’s College London, Daughters
Driverless cars or drones: Driverless Cars
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
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Florida: The critical Sunshine State
Though mostly conservative, Florida is usually always “close” in presidential elections. In most elections, the candidate that wins the Sunshine State almost always wins the election, as evidenced in 2016 when Trump took Florida, a state which has not had a democratic governor since 1991.
Joe Biden’s campaign has spent $100 million there to turn things around, understandable given the state’s crucial 29 electoral votes.
In 2016, Mr Trump’s democratic rival Hillary Clinton paid frequent visits to Florida though analysts concluded that she failed to appeal towards middle-class voters, whom Barack Obama won over in the previous election.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: N2 Technology
Founded: 2018
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Startups
Size: 14
Funding: $1.7m from HNIs
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
THE%20SWIMMERS
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Major matches on Manic Monday
Andy Murray (GBR) v Benoit Paire (FRA)
Grigor Dimitrov (BGR) v Roger Federer (SUI)
Rafael Nadal (ESP) v Gilles Muller (LUX)
Adrian Mannarino (FRA) Novak Djokovic (SRB)
FIXTURES
Thu Mar 15 – West Indies v Afghanistan, UAE v Scotland
Fri Mar 16 – Ireland v Zimbabwe
Sun Mar 18 – Ireland v Scotland
Mon Mar 19 – West Indies v Zimbabwe
Tue Mar 20 – UAE v Afghanistan
Wed Mar 21 – West Indies v Scotland
Thu Mar 22 – UAE v Zimbabwe
Fri Mar 23 – Ireland v Afghanistan
The top two teams qualify for the World Cup
Classification matches
The top-placed side out of Papua New Guinea, Hong Kong or Nepal will be granted one-day international status. UAE and Scotland have already won ODI status, having qualified for the Super Six.
Thu Mar 15 – Netherlands v Hong Kong, PNG v Nepal
Sat Mar 17 – 7th-8th place playoff, 9th-10th place playoff
Profile Idealz
Company: Idealz
Founded: January 2018
Based: Dubai
Sector: E-commerce
Size: (employees): 22
Investors: Co-founders and Venture Partners (9 per cent)
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Thursday (All UAE kick-off times)
Sevilla v Real Betis (midnight)
Friday
Granada v Real Betis (9.30pm)
Valencia v Levante (midnight)
Saturday
Espanyol v Alaves (4pm)
Celta Vigo v Villarreal (7pm)
Leganes v Real Valladolid (9.30pm)
Mallorca v Barcelona (midnight)
Sunday
Atletic Bilbao v Atletico Madrid (4pm)
Real Madrid v Eibar (9.30pm)
Real Sociedad v Osasuna (midnight)
Poacher
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How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
