Turkish intelligence warns citizens about bugging risks from satellite phone operators

ANKARA - Hürriyet

Communications via satellites involves an inherent risk of bugging, Turkish National Intelligence Organization (MİT) stated.

Any foreign intelligence agency can bug and wiretap satellite communications, the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) warned Turkish citizens on March 16. In response to questions raised by Parliament members on the wiretapping activities of Turkish intelligence agents, MİT noted that all wireless communications were susceptible to being intercepted and followed by other countries.

"The notion that it is not possible to wiretap phone operators owned by foreign companies is false. The secret wiretapping and monitoring devices produced by countries with developed technologies are used by intelligence agencies before their commercialization," the statement read.

It also added that all software programs of foreign operators were analyzed due to the fact that they might reveal the personal information of Turkish citizens if there were security vulnerabilities in the system. "Following the analysis, we made the necessary warnings," the statement read, noting that most of the intelligence officers were well-educated and specialized in these domains.

The MIT also stressed that their wiretapping guidelines were not based on political party lines.