Espionage suspect arrested in Crete after surveillance of US Souda Bay base

A 26-year-old antheral was arrested successful Crete connected Sunday aft allegedly scouting the US naval and aerial basal astatine Souda Bay, successful what section media and Reuters person described arsenic a imaginable espionage case.

According to Greek state broadcaster ERT, citing constabulary and quality sources, the antheral was seen photographing strategic subject installations and monitoring the question of warships entering and exiting the bay — a cardinal US and NATO hub successful the eastbound Mediterranean.

Police reportedly confiscated much than 5,000 photographs and galore videos. The suspect is expected to beryllium brought earlier a nationalist authoritative successful the coming days.

Greek authorities are said to beryllium investigating whether the lawsuit is connected to the caller apprehension of a antheral with Azerbaijani roots successful Cyprus.

That idiosyncratic is suspected of readying a terrorist onslaught connected behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to Cypriot media and Reuters. He had reportedly entered Cyprus utilizing a British passport.

The Cypriot lawsuit prompted heightened information coordination betwixt determination quality agencies, peculiarly pursuing claims by Israeli officials that the IRGC had plotted to target Israeli nationals connected the island.

While Greek authorities person not officially confirmed a nexus betwixt the two arrests, information experts accidental the proximity and timing suggest a imaginable determination quality operation.