Greece Detains Georgian Man Suspected of Spying at Strategic Crete Naval Base

2026-03-03 - 08:55

Greek authorities arrested a Georgian national on suspicion of espionage at the Souda Naval Base in Crete, a critical NATO and U.S. facility in the Eastern Mediterranean, local media and Reuters reported, citing police and intelligence sources. The 36‐year‐old man, whose name has not been released, had reportedly been under surveillance by Greek intelligence for months and was detained after arriving at Athens International Airport. Investigators are examining whether he was gathering intelligence for Iran. Reuters reported that photographs of U.S. military aircraft were found on the suspect’s phone. The Souda Naval Base serves as a critical hub for NATO and U.S. operations. The U.S. aircraft carrier Gerald R. Ford recently visited the base for resupply before sailing to the Middle East. In June, Greek police arrested an Azerbaijani man in Crete on similar espionage suspicions. Authorities are investigating whether the two cases are linked.