Greek police have arrested an Azerbaijani national suspected of spying on a NATO base on the island of Crete,
Al Jazeera reports.
Local media reported on Monday that the man was detained the previous day on suspicion of espionage. Authorities are reportedly investigating whether the case is linked to the arrest in recent days of a man with Azeri roots in Cyprus on suspicion of terror-related offences linked to Iran.
The 26-year-old was arrested in Crete after he was seen scouting the air and naval base of the United States at Souda Bay, broadcaster ERT reported, citing police and intelligence sources.
According to the report, authorities said he was seen photographing strategically sensitive locations and tracking the movements of warships entering and leaving the bay.
The base is a strategic US and NATO facility for the eastern Mediterranean.
Police seized approximately 5,000 photographs and numerous videos. The suspect is expected to be brought before a public prosecutor.
The arrest came days after a similar incident in Cyprus, where a man was detained for alleged espionage and planning a “terrorist attack” on military facilities.
The suspect, who was also reported to be ethnically Azeri, was said to be acting on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). According to Cypriot media, citing government sources, he entered the country using a British passport.
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on Saturday that the IRGC had attempted to carry out a terror attack targeting Israelis.
