The Turkish Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) has expelled five prosecutors on Thursday for violation of the country's national security laws in 2014 when they authorized for the search of trucks, being operated by the National Intelligence Organization (MİT) in the southern province of Adana, that were en route to Syria.

Early in 2015, the HSYK suspended the prosecutors Süleyman Bağrıyanık, Ahmet Karaca, Aziz Takcı, Özcan Şişman and Yaşar Kavalcıklıoğlu from duty.

Later in early May, Bağrıyanık, Karaca, Takçı and Şişman, as well as former Adana provincial gendarmerie commander Col. Çokay, were imprisoned on charges of "attempting to overthrow the government."

In January 2014, trucks belonging to MİT carrying aid to Turkmens were stopped and intercepted by security forces upon the order of former Adana Public Prosecutor Özcan Şişman. The supplies in the trucks were seized and MİT staffers were handcuffed before they were detained, which prompted the government to reform its intelligence laws in an effort to avoid such situations in the future.

The governor of the province was informed about the incident in its latest phase, and many believe the operation was aimed at creating a political crisis via joint efforts by the Gülen Movement and anti-government media outlets that made the incident public, despite its highly confidential status.

As more details have been unveiled pertaining to the matter, the possibility that the operation was pre-planned and conducted by members of the Gülen Movement in the police and prosecutors in a purported attempt to defame the government, which it considers its foe, strengthened, prompting the prosecutor's office to investigate the incident.