Germany Says Turkish Intel Among Most Active Espionage Actors in Berlin

Germany's federal domestic intelligence agency has named Türkiye's National Intelligence Organization (MIT) among the four most active foreign services operating in Berlin.

The 140-page report, released by the Berlin Senate's interior office, identified Russia, China, Iran, and Türkiye as the primary actors conducting espionage operations directed against Germany.

Security officials warned that the collective threat potential from these nations remains high.

Broad Repertoire of Operations

The findings were presented by Berlin Interior Senator Iris Spranger and Michael Fischer, the Berlin chief of the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution (LfV).

Officials detailed a shift in tactics that expands beyond traditional statecraft.

"The services of these countries have a broad action repertoire that, in addition to classic espionage activities, includes cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and acts of sabotage," Fischer stated during the presentation.

Spranger reinforced the assessment, noting that the threat potential from foreign espionage and possible sabotage activities shows no signs of diminishing.

Regional Security Monitoring

The intelligence assessment also focused heavily on the local network of the PKK, which maintains an estimated 1,100 supporters within the German capital.

Despite the PKK's public announcement that it was ending its armed struggle and dissolving its organizational structure as part of a peace process, German authorities remain skeptical.

The report noted that no indications have been observed among Berlin-based supporters that the group has distanced itself from terrorist activities.

Whether these local network elements will ultimately embrace the peace process remains unclear to German intelligence.