Turkish agents arrested the two men in Istanbul on April 15. Turkish officials said they confessed to spying on Arab nationals on behalf of the UAE. Turkish media said one of the men was suspected of having connections to the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, who was killed in October in Istanbul by Saudi agents.
Identified as S.S. and Z.H., the suspects told authorities that the aim of the spy ring was to create an anti-Turkey structure, according to pro-government Daily Sabah. Authorities did not identify the man said to have committed suicide in Istanbul’s Silivri prison.
Daily Sabah said the men were UAE nationals, while Arab Weekly said the two men were Palestinians, named Samir Samih Shabaan and Zaki Yousef Hassan.
Turkish intelligence said S.S. arrived in Istanbul shortly after Khashoggi’s killing and had been under surveillance and was seen gathering information in exchange for money.