Emre Taner
{{Short description|Former head of the Turkish National Intelligence Organisation}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Emre Taner
|image =
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|office = Chief of the National Intelligence Organization of Turkey
|term_start = June 15, 2005
|term_end = June 4, 2010
|president = Abdullah Gül
|primeminister = Recep Tayyip Erdoğan
|predecessor = Şenkal Atasagun
|successor = Hakan Fidan
|constituency =
|birth_date = {{birth year and age|1942}}
|birth_place = Diyarbakır, Turkey
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|nationality = Turkish
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|alma_mater = Ankara University
|occupation = Civil servant (intelligence)
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Emre Taner (born 1942) is a Turkish civil servant who was until May 2010 the undersecretary (i.e. chief) of the governmental intelligence agency of Turkey, the National Intelligence Organization ({{langx|tr|Milli İstihbarat Teşkilatı}}, MİT).{{cite news|url=http://www.mit.gov.tr/english/must-biyog.html |accessdate=2008-12-17 |title=Emre Taner |publisher=National Intelligence Organization |date=2008-12-17 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014223028/http://www.mit.gov.tr/english/must-biyog.html |archivedate=October 14, 2008 }}
Career
After graduating from the School of Political Science at Ankara University, he entered the intelligence agency in 1967 and served almost in all the sections of the organization. Between 1984 and 1986, Emre Taner was the chief of Istanbul region bureau. In 1987, he became the head of intelligence department, and was appointed Deputy Undersecretary of MİT in 1992. From 1994 on, Emre Taner served in foreign countries until his appointment to Deputy Undersecretary for Operations on April 7, 1999. Emre Taner succeeded Şenkal Atasagun, who retired on June 15, 2005 from his post before his term of office. Taner announced a restructuring of the MİT at the start of 2009.{{cite news|last=Yetkin|first=Murat|date=2009-01-01|title=Mercek altındaki MİT’te köklü değişiklik yapıldı|language=tr|work=Radikal|url=http://www.radikal.com.tr/Default.aspx?aType=YazarYazisi&ArticleID=915082|access-date=2009-01-01}} On May 26, 2010, Taner passed the post on to his successor Hakan Fidan.{{Cite web|last=Yetkin|first=Murat|title=Intelligence failure questions from a spy chief|url=https://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/opinion/murat-yetkin/intelligence-failure-questions-from-a-spy-chief-105988|access-date=2021-12-11|website=Hürriyet|language=en}}
= Head of the National Intelligence Organization =
He is known for rejuvenating the organization, and encouraging the government to adopt a more active stance with regard to foreign policy.{{cite news|last=Sariibrahimoglu|first=Lale|date=2008-12-07|title=Turkey needs an intelligence coordination mechanism, says Güven|work=Sunday's Zaman|url=http://www.sundayszaman.com/sunday/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=160856|url-status=dead|access-date=2008-12-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090831002733/http://www.sundayszaman.com/sunday/detaylar.do?load=detay&link=160856|archive-date=2009-08-31}} Besides he is credited with reducing the turf war between the MİT and the General Directorate of Security as well as infighting inside the MİT itself. Between 2008 and 2009 he was involved in the peace negotiations with members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) which took place in Oslo, Norway and Kurdish leaders in Iraq. Due to this peace talks with the PKK he and his successor Fidan were summoned in testify by prosecutor Sadrettin Sarıkaya in early February 2012.{{Cite web|date=13 February 2012|title=Prosecutor Sarıkaya Dismissed due to "Misconduct of Office"|url=https://bianet.org/english/politics/136113-prosecutor-sarikaya-dismissed-due-to-misconduct-of-office|access-date=11 December 2012|website=Bianet}} Sarikaya was arrested the same month and the law concerning investigations on the MIT was changed in way that the prime ministers consent was mandatory. The warrant on him was removed on the 18 February 2012.{{Cite web|date=2020-06-22|title=Court rules to hold trial into Gülenists' summoning of Turkish intel chief to testify behind closed doors|url=https://www.duvarenglish.com/politics/2020/06/22/court-rules-to-hold-trial-into-gulenists-summoning-of-turkish-intel-chief-to-testify-behind-closed-doors|access-date=2021-12-11|website=Gazete Duvar|language=tr-TR}}
Personal life
He was born 1942 in Diyarbakır. He is married.
References
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{{succession box |
before=Şenkal Atasagun |
title=Chief of the MİT |
years=June 15, 2005 – June 4, 2010 |
after=Hakan Fidan
}}
{{s-end}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Taner, Emre}}
Category:People from Lice, Turkey
Category:Ankara University Faculty of Political Sciences alumni
Category:People of the National Intelligence Organization (Turkey)
Category:Directors of intelligence agencies
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