500,000 people wiretapped, says telecom watchdog

Ankara - The wiretapping scandal which captured the attention of people across Turkey was more extensive than previously thought, according to an investigation by Turkey's Telecommunications Communication Presidency (TIB) in cooperation with Prime Ministry Inspection Board and the TIB administration.

The Inspection Board has initiated a separate investigation into the Scientific andTechnological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBITAK), the most prestigious scientific institution in Turkey.

Three suspicious issues will be investigated, including the hiring process, corporate partnerships and networks, and who conducted the wiretapping of encrypted phones.

For instance, the hiring process has raised suspicions as it was discovered that 600 people were dismissed in four years, and 2,200 people were hired. The board will prepare a comprehensive report, planned to be sent to the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office in Ankara after the investigation is complete.

Previous investigations have found that data stored prior to 2012 was deleted, but the investigation by TİB showed that 509,516 people were wiretapped between 2012 and 2013. In 2011, 261,680 wiretapping requests were approved by courts. In 2012 that number decreased slightly to 257,454 and in 2013 wiretaps were approved for 252,062 people, bringing the total over the three-year period to 509,516. When the first two months of 2013 and 2011 are added, this figure goes up to 670,853 wiretaps. The figures indicate police forces have made the most wiretapping requests, with the Intelligence Department issuing a total of 831,463 requests out of 1,359,645 in about three years.

TİB's investigation, on the other hand, was carried out under the leadership of the institution's new president, Ahmet Cemalettin Çelik. TİB's report suggested the wiretapping figures could be higher than expected as the archives have been intentionally and suspiciously deleted and it remains unclear whether the wiretaps were carried out based on a court order or not. The results of the Prime Ministry Inspection Board's investigation will determine whether legal action will
be taken.

The wiretapping scandal which captured the attention of people across Turkey was more extensive than previously thought, according to an investigation by Turkey's Telecommunications Communication Presidency (TİB) in cooperation with Prime Ministry Inspection Board and the TİB administration.

The Inspection Board has initiated a separate investigation into the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey (TÜBİTAK), the most prestigious scientific institution in Turkey. Three suspicious issues will be investigated, including the hiring process, corporate partnerships and networks, and who conducted the wiretapping of encrypted phones.