As a part of a widening investigation into defense contractor Assan, Turkish authorities on Friday detained three more suspects over alleged military espionage and affiliations with the Gülenist Terrorist Group (FETÖ), which orchestrated the failed 2016 coup attempt in Türkiye.
Assan owner Emin Öner and Gürcan Okumuş, the company’s general manager and a former senior executive at the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Türkiye’s Defense Industry Research and Development Institute (TÜBITAK SAGE), were detained last week on charges of ‘’membership in an armed terrorist organization,’’ "military espionage’’ and "destruction, misuse, fraudulent acquisition and theft of state security documents."
According to Turkish media, authorities found 22 separate ByLock communications and 113 organizational contacts between Öner and two of the FETÖ top leaders.
Intelligence files also indicate that the personnel and company officials working under confidentiality transferred technology of a product belonging to the Mechanical and Chemical Industries Corporation (MKE) and TÜBITAK.
As proceedings continue against the two suspects, authorities in nationwide raids caught a former MKE employee with Assan employment records, a colonel who had left the Defense Ministry, and another Assan employee. Authorities also seized documents during the raids.
The Savings Deposit Insurance Fund (TMSF) has since been appointed as trustee for 10 companies operating under Assan.
The Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) underlined the presence of heavy cash flow with individuals affiliated with the terrorist group.
Moreover, it was discovered that Assan filed a lawsuit in 2019 regarding the transformation of the commercial data from MKE.
After admitting the charges, Okumuş stated that the parties had settled for TL 400,000 ($9,600).
