Israel worried by new Turkey intelligence chief's defense of Iran
Israeli sources believe Hakan Fidan aided in orchestrating an intentional
change in relations between Israel and Turkey.
By Amir Oren Haaretz Published 00:48 07.06.10 Latest update 00:48 07.06.10
www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/israel-worried-by-new-turkey-intelligence-chief-s-defense-of-iran-1.294568

The Israeli defense establishment - and especially the Mossad's foreign
relations department, which maintains ties with Turkey's national
intelligence organization (MIT ) - is concerned over the recent appointment
of Hakan Fidan as head of that organization, and the implications of that
appointment vis-a-vis Turkish relations with Israel and Iran.

Ten days ago, Hakan Fidan, 42, a personal confidant of Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, assumed the post of head of MIT, which
combines the functions of the Mossad and Shin Bet security force.

Israeli security sources believe last week's the Mavi Marmara incident
reflects an intentional change in relations between Israel and Turkey -
orchestrated by Erdogan, along with Fidan and Foreign Minister Ahmed
Davutoglu.

There is no concrete information, however, regarding Fidan's involvement in
the incident or his ties with IHH, the group that organized the flotilla.
In meetings between Mossad officials and others in the local
political-security establishment, it was noted that Fidan has close ties
with Erdogan's Islamist party, and that during the past year he was deputy
director of the prime minister's office and played a central role in
tightening Turkish ties with Iran, especially on the nuclear issue.

Fidan's appointment at MIT will help strengthen Erdogan's control over
certain civilian elements in the Turkish intelligence community, both in
terms of determining foreign and defense policy, and also vis-a-vis members
of the senior military echelons, who are considered to be a central threat
to the Islamist party's power.

To date intelligence ties between Israel and Turkey have been good, in
parallel to the good relations between the Israel Defense Forces and the
Turkish military, and their respective intelligence services.

In April the last head of MIT, Emre Taner, retired after a five-year stint.
Erdogan appointed Fidan as acting head then, but he only formally took over
late last month. Fidan served in the Turkish military for 15 years, until
2001, but was not an officer.

MIT has extensive authority, in both internal security and foreign
intelligence gathering. Its chief answers directly to the prime minister,
although the law obliges him also to report to the president, the chief of
staff and the country's National Security Council.

Fidan completed a B.A. at the University of Maryland, and he completed his
master's and doctorate in Ankara. His dissertation was a comparative
analysis of the structure of U.S., British and Turkish intelligence
organizations.

After his military service, Fidan served in the Turkish embassy in
Australia, and last year he represented Ankara in the International Atomic
Energy Agency, where he defended Iran's right to carry on with its nuclear
program for "peaceful purposes."

With Davutoglu, Fidan formulated last month's uranium transfer deal between
Turkey, Brazil and Iran.

Apparently, he supports the idea of splitting MIT's authority into an
internal and an external intelligence organization, like in Israel, Britain
and the United States. It is reported that he intends to concentrate on
"institutional" tasks and to work with an independent security service, one
of whose main purposes is to deal with the Kurdish PKK organization - partly
to deflect criticism of his appointment.

In Israel there is concern Fidan's appointment will have a two-pronged
effect: on one hand, that exchange of intelligence between the two countries
will be harmed, and on the other, that Israel will have to limit the
transfer of information to Turkey, out of a concern that it may be passed on
to enemy organizations or states.
al-Qaida.