Turkish intelligence given greater authority

The Turkish parliament has expanded authority of the National Intelligence Organization. The Organization was authorized to contact any organizations and individuals, including terrorists, carry out operations in other countries, wire telephones without the court’s permission. Agents will be immune to prosecution during operations, ITAR-TASS reports.

There were controversies last year about meetings of its agents with functionaries of the Kurdistan Workers’ Party.

Turkey has recently blocked YouTube for a video secretly taken at a secret meeting of Turkish authorities discussing Syria. Anyone publishing secret information may now get 10 years of jail.

The Justice and Development Party passed amendments to the Intelligence Organization’s range of authority in March. The initiative was slammed for giving the structure too much power over others.