In July, Erdogan talked to the Israeli president and highlighted the "Israeli-Turkish potentials" for regional peace. They do not have ambassadors in their capitals due to decade-long tensions.Ī man of sudden U-turns in policy, Erdogan last year showed willingness for normalization with the Israeli government. The revelation of the Israeli espionage operation in Turkey is dealing a blow to the slowly moving de-escalation efforts between the two sides made since last year. Israeli media said they arrived home.Įrdogan's tough decision: de-escalation or self-credibility The delegation admitted that there was a spying operation but argued that it did not target Turkey but the Hamas officials and activities in Turkey.įinally today, Turkey said it released the couple. According to Rai Al-Yaum newspaper, a Mossad delegation sent to Ankara was treated with chill by the Turkish authorities.
The Israeli government started its movement to free the two. Israeli Channel 12 reported, citing Israeli officials, if the case is not settled in three days, they will likely remain detained in Turkey. The couple claimed they did not know photography from the palace of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was banned.Ī Turkish court on last Friday extended the couple's detention for 20 days, and local authorities said that they were suspected of espionage. The Turkish intelligence arrested the couple for taking photos of the presidential palace in Istanbul. The SG later was replaced by the Special Protection Group (SPG) that was raised in 1985 for the security of VIPs.Ĭlick here for IndiaToday.in’s complete coverage of the coronavirus pandemic.Two weeks after the Turkish intelligence agency said it detected and dismantled an Israeli spy cell, in recent days Ankara said it detained two Israeli citizens on charges of spying for Tel Aviv, potentially returning the Turkish-Israeli relations to tensions.ĪhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA): Two weeks after the Turkish intelligence agency said it detected and dismantled an Israeli spy cell, in recent days Ankara said it detained two Israeli citizens on charges of spying for Tel Aviv, potentially returning the Turkish-Israeli relations to tensions.
They had been called for protection of Rajiv Gandhi and his family. The SG unit was later pressed into service following the assassination of Indira Gandhi in October, 1984. The shrine was freed from Khalistani terrorists by the next morning. Additional unit of the army was also pressed into action at the Golden Temple against the fighters of Bhindranwale. The SG commandos faced tough resistance and were met with unexpected firepower from those hiding inside the Golden Temple. He was later dismissed from services on various charges including corruption. They were led by a disgraced Indian Army Major General Shabeg Singh, who had been awarded Ati Vishist Seva Medal for providing training to the forces of Mukti Bahini of Bangladesh. The Indian Army, it appears, had underestimated the strength of the armed men of Bhindranwale.
They were the only unit of the Indian forces to have received specialised training to fight terrorists having taken control of a sensitive public place and deal with hostage-like situation. The commandos who entered the Golden Temple on Jwere part of Special Group of the 56th Commando Company of the Indian Army. The army was roped in and 20 commandos of the special group entered the Golden Temple at night to free the shrine from armed Khalistani terrorists. Indira Gandhi, the then prime minister, went for a decisive action against Bhindranwale. Bhindranwale had declared a war on the state and had fallen out of favour of the Congress party that ruled at the Centre. In 1984, Punjab was under President's Rule in the wake of Khalistan terrorism. By 1984, Bhindranwale's radical group had committed targeted killings and led terror attacks causing death of over 100 security personnel and civilians, many of them were eminent persons. Bhindranwale had occupied the Golden Temple in 1981 along with his band of armed men, many of whom were drawn from army and police forces.