On Friday, February 11, the Turkish edition of “Sabah” reported that the Turkish counterintelligence (MIT) thwarted the assassination attempt on Israeli businessman Yair Geller, which was planned by the Iranian special services.
According to MIT, the murder of Geller was planned as revenge for the liquidation in Iran of nuclear physicist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, who was killed in November 2020. In addition, the Iranians counted on the fact that the death of an Israeli would negatively affect the process of establishing ties between Ankara and Jerusalem.
“Sabah” writes that the Turkish special services detained nine members of the group that planned the murder of Geller.
Yair Geller, 75, is a citizen of Israel and Turkey. The sphere of his business interests is weapons and defense technologies. He owns CNC Advanced Technology and Engineering. Lives mainly in Istanbul. When MIT employees became convinced that Geller had become the object of surveillance and an assassination attempt was being prepared on him, the businessman was taken to a safe house. At this stage, Geller was protected by Mossad agents, writes Sabah. Shortly thereafter, nine people suspected of plotting to kill an Israeli were arrested.
The publication “Sabah” named the names of the detainees. Iranian intelligence officer Yassin Taheremamkendi (53) is listed as the organizer of the assassination preparations. The militants who were supposed to kill Geller were led by the Iranian Saleh Moshtag Bighuz (44).