Hakan Fidan

In January 2026, Fidan stated that the Iranian protests had genuine economic and structural causes but were also being manipulated by foreign rivals, explicitly naming Mossad and accusing it of encouraging Iranians to rise up against the regime.

Legal status — source text

Not applicable

Attribution

Political responsibility

Fidan reiterated that Turkey does not regard Hamas as a terrorist organisation and, during a press conference with his Austrian counterpart Alexander Schallenberg in May 2024, described Hamas as an armed resistance movement. This position is directly opposed to that of the EU, the United States and Austria.

State of the evidence

Documented

Legal status — source text

Not applicable

Attribution

Political responsibility

Several hours before the attempted coup of 15 July 2016, MİT received a warning concerning an operation targeting Hakan Fidan among others. Persistent questions concerned the circulation of information, the absence of a direct and prompt warning to the most senior political leaders, and Fidan's failure to testify orally before the parliamentary commission, instead submitting written information.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Institutional responsibility

Trucks belonging or linked to MİT were intercepted in 2014, and images published in 2015 showed weapons and ammunition concealed in their cargo. Fidan headed MİT, and the scandal fuelled accusations of covert support for Syrian rebel groups.

State of the evidence

Documented

Fidan left the leadership of MİT to seek an AKP parliamentary seat, prompting criticism over the politicisation and neutrality of intelligence. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan publicly opposed his candidacy; Fidan ultimately withdrew it and was reinstated as head of MİT a few weeks later.

State of the evidence

Documented

Legal status — source text

Not applicable

Attribution

Personally implicated

A recording presented as being from a high-level security meeting featured a voice attributed to Fidan discussing scenarios concerning the tomb of Süleyman Şah in Syria, including sending men or firing shots that could create grounds for intervention. The leak triggered a national crisis and the blocking of YouTube.

A Washington Post column, relying on sources familiar with the case, claimed that Turkish intelligence under Fidan had provided Iran with the identities of people meeting Mossad in Turkey, exposing an Israeli network in Iran. The affair caused a media and diplomatic crisis.

Attribution

Directly implicated

Prosecutors summoned Hakan Fidan, then head of MİT, as a suspect concerning secret contacts with the PKK and the activities of undercover agents. The government prevented his questioning and rapidly passed legal protection requiring the Prime Minister's authorisation to prosecute intelligence officials.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated