Court releases suspect in espionage case

İZMİR - Hürriyet Daily News

A local court has released a suspect, identified as Lieutenant G.K., in a military espionage case heard in the Aegean province of İzmir, after it was revealed that digital evidence in the case was updated nine days after it was taken in a police search, daily Cumhuriyet reported today.

G.K.’s lawyer, Kemal Yener Saraçoğlu, discovered that the documents shown as evidence were updated on May 18, nine days after the police search. However, the records in a database named “Pandora” were taken during the search conducted in a businessman’s house on May 9.

Saraçoğlu said his client was charged based on a document updated on May 18, despite the fact that the police took the records on May 9. G.K. was released based on this defense.

Saraçoğlu also indicated that the verdicts were given only with regard to digital evidence.

The investigation against the espionage gang started in 2009 after allegations arose that the gang reportedly targeted active-duty officers with details about warcraft radar location. The suspects are also charged with listening to private phone conversations, spying on a number of officer’s bedrooms through cameras and blackmailing them.

In the operation, 93 people including 59 active-duty-soldiers have been detained so far. The suspects are also charged with sending escort girls to the officer’s homes.