The Turkish Anadolu Agency announced today, Tuesday, that authorities have arrested six individuals suspected of spying on members of the Uighur Muslim community in Turkey on behalf of the Chinese intelligence agency, and that the police are searching for another suspect. The agency reported that the Istanbul public prosecutor has identified seven individuals believed to be gathering information on prominent figures within the Uighur community and some associated organizations in Turkey, without providing further details.
Approximately 50,000 Uighurs live in Turkey, making them the largest community outside Central Asia. Turks have close ethnic, religious, and linguistic ties to the Uighurs, the majority of whom are Muslim and speak a language rooted in Turkish. Last month, Turkish authorities arrested 34 individuals suspected of links to the Israeli intelligence agency (Mossad) for targeting Palestinians living in Turkey. Since then, the Turkish intelligence agency (MIT) has carried out additional operations against individuals suspected of being Israeli intelligence agents in Turkey.
