Turkey vows action over leaks on YouTube

Turkey’s embattled government vowed action over the bugging of a security meeting on Syria which was leaked on YouTube, labelling it a conspiratorial “plot” ahead of key local elections.

The leak comes amid a fierce stand-off between Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his ally-turned-foe, US-based cleric Fethullah Gulen, whose followers Erdogan has blamed for the eavesdropping.

As prosecutors launched a probe into the case, President Abdullah Gul warned “we will do whatever necessary” to find the culprits behind the “act of espionage targeting state security”.

“Such a cyber attack on a meeting in which military and security options are being discussed is no different than a military attack,” said foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu, alleged to be one of the voices on the recording. “We will take action against those who want to throw Turkey into chaos with political plotting.”

The recording purportedly features top government, military and intelligence officials discussing plans to fabricate an attack that would justify a military strike against neighbouring Syria. The leak followed other recordings that implicated Erdogan and his political and business allies in a vast corruption scandal, and which have gone viral on social media in recent weeks.

The government, which last week shut down Twitter, ordered a block on YouTube on Thursday in response to the latest release, prompting fresh criticism from foreign capitals and human rights groups.

It did not deny that the meeting on Syria took place, but said some content in the audio recording had been manipulated. Foreign ministry rooms in Ankara have now been swept for listening devices.

Davutoglu said the “revelations have only benefited the regime” in Syria. He added that YouTube had refused a government request to take down the recording. “This is not freedom of thought,” he said.

“This is a security threat. A state is entitled to take measures.”

Tomorrow’s local elections are seen as a crucial popularity test for Erdogan, ahead of the country’s first direct presidential election in August and parliamentary polls scheduled for next year.

Long hailed at home and abroad for driving strong economic growth, Erdogan has drawn criticism since a police crackdown on protesters last June left eight dead and thousands injured.

Since December, he has been hit by an avalanche of online leaks linked to a corruption probe that forced three ministers to step down and left suspicion hanging over Erdogan’s own family.