MİT denies gathering private info

ANKARA

Turkey’s intelligence agency has denied recent reports in the media that the agency was illegally gathering information from state institutions on Turkish citizens.

“To say that our agency, which has directed its activities mainly at regional and global strategic problems, is preparing files on its own citizens is unreal and unjust,” the National Intelligence Agency (MİT) said in a written statement yesterday.

Taraf journalist Mehmet Baransu on June 10 accused MİT and various other organizations of having signed protocols to provide detailed information about every individual in Turkey who goes through the country’s education system or flies with the Turkish Airlines (THY).

The report claimed information about students and their parents associated with schools that fall under the jurisdiction of the Education Ministry and even their email addresses are in the hands of MİT. The agency has signed a protocol classified as “highly confidential” with the Education Ministry, the report also claimed. “MİT is fulfilling the duties given to it by Law No. 2937 and other regulations and uses the lawful authority it has,” the agency’s statement read.