A 26-year-old man was arrested in Crete on Sunday after allegedly scouting the US naval and air base at Souda Bay, in what local media and Reuters have described as a possible espionage case.
According to Greek state broadcaster ERT, citing police and intelligence sources, the man was seen photographing strategic military installations and monitoring the movement of warships entering and exiting the bay — a key US and NATO hub in the eastern Mediterranean.
Police reportedly confiscated more than 5,000 photographs and numerous videos. The suspect is expected to be brought before a public prosecutor in the coming days.
Greek authorities are said to be investigating whether the case is connected to the recent arrest of a man with Azerbaijani roots in Cyprus.
That individual is suspected of planning a terrorist attack on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), according to Cypriot media and Reuters. He had reportedly entered Cyprus using a British passport.
The Cypriot case prompted heightened security coordination between regional intelligence agencies, particularly following claims by Israeli officials that the IRGC had plotted to target Israeli nationals on the island.
While Greek authorities have not officially confirmed a link between the two arrests, security experts say the proximity and timing suggest a possible regional intelligence operation.
