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Turkish authorities arrest 6 on suspicion of spying for Iran

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish authorities have arrested six people, including an Iranian national, on suspicion of spying for Iran, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Wednesday.

The arrests followed coordinated operations carried out by Turkey’s National Intelligence Organization and counterterrorism police across five provinces.

The suspects are believed to have been in contact with members of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard and are accused of gathering information on military bases and other sensitive sites in Turkey, Anadolu reported. They allegedly conducted surveillance of NATO’s Incirlik air base in southern Turkey.

All six were brought before a judge in Istanbul, who ordered them held in pretrial detention on charges of political and military espionage.

There was no immediate comment from the Iranian Embassy in Ankara.

The arrests come as regional tensions have risen over fears of a possible U.S. military strike on Iran.

Turkish government officials have warned against foreign intervention in neighboring Iran, saying it could spark instability and trigger a refugee influx.

Australian watchdog files legal action against Telegram, saying it failed to remove violent content

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Australia’s online safety watchdog has filed legal action against messaging app Telegram, saying the platform failed to remove extremist content including videos of white supremacist mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and the New Zealand city of Christchurch as well as Islamic State group beheadings. The United Arab Emirates-based app, which reports having 1 billion users worldwide, faces a fine of up to 54.6 million Australian dollars ($38 million) if convicted in the Australian Federal Court for “alleged failure to detect and remove pro-terror material,” eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant said Thursday. The civil action is a test of Australia's 2021 law requiring tech platforms to work to keep illegal and pro-terrorism material off their networks. Telegram denied the claims. “We reject these allegations and will contest them in court,” a spokesperson said in a written statement sent on Telegram.
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