Turkey vowed action on Friday against the source of a bugged recording of a security meeting on Syria leaked on YouTube, labeling it a conspiratorial "plot" ahead of key local elections.

"Such a cyber attack in a meeting in which military and security options are being discussed is no different than a military attack," charged Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, as prosecutors launched a probe into the eavesdropping.

"We will take action against those who want to throw Turkey into chaos with political plotting," said Davutoglu, one of the purported figures heard in the recording of the meeting.

The social media release of the audio file was the latest targeting Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's government after a spate of other leaked recordings indicated a vast corruption scandal. The Erdogan government, which last week shut down Twitter, ordered a block on YouTube on Thursday over the latest release, sparking more criticism from foreign capitals and human rights groups.

In the latest audio file, purportedly of high-level government, military and intelligence officials, participants are heard discussing plans to establish a cause for military strikes in neighboring Syria. The government did not deny the meeting took place but said some content had been manipulated.

Officials have searched the site of the talks, the foreign ministry building in Ankara, for listening devices, said Davutoglu.

"There is a clear attack against national security," said Davutoglu in a national TV interview, adding that YouTube was shut down after it had refused a government request to take down the account in question.

AFP