Greek police confirmed on Monday (March 2) that a 36-year-old man was detained at Athens International Airport. He is suspected of conducting espionage activities at the Souda Bay naval base in Crete. The base serves as a crucial strategic supply center for the United States and NATO in the eastern Mediterranean, currently supporting core missions for U.S. military operations in the Middle East.
The latest and largest U.S. aircraft carrier, the Ford-class carrier, had previously anchored in Souda Bay before engaging in military operations against Iran.
According to information disclosed by the Greek intelligence agency (EYP), the suspect’s background has drawn high attention from security agencies:
Multiple Backgrounds:
The 36-year-old suspect is of Azerbaijani descent but holds a Polish passport. During the trial, he displayed fluent proficiency in Russian and Turkish.
Operational Track:
He arrived in Crete in mid-February and stayed at a local hotel for about two weeks. While attempting to depart for other European countries, he was intercepted by intelligence agents lying in wait at Athens International Airport.
Greek online media To Vima cited intelligence sources detailing the suspect’s sophisticated espionage techniques:
Strategic Positioning:
During his stay at a hotel near Souda Bay, he specifically requested a room with a direct view overlooking the naval base and rarely went out during his stay.
Precise Monitoring:
Intelligence officials observed him spending long periods behind partially closed blinds, using high-power camera equipment to record naval activities, including the recent resupply of the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford.
Technological Means:
Police found a large number of photos of base facilities on his electronic devices and confirmed the installation of commercial-grade encryption software on his computer. Data indicates that some intelligence may have been transmitted to unidentified external recipients.
Greek intelligence (EYP) and senior police officials pointed out that this arrest was not a coincidence but a highly organized intelligence collection pattern.
Greek officials told local media Kathimerini that this case is strikingly similar to the espionage case of a 26-year-old Azerbaijani man with a Polish passport that occurred in the same location in June 2025 (employing similar surveillance methods).
This “Azerbaijani descent + Polish passport” combination has been viewed by the EYP as a standard operating method of hostile intelligence agencies (highly likely the Iranian Revolutionary Guards IRGC) targeting Western military facilities.
This case coincides with President Trump’s “Operation Epic Fury” against Iran, causing intense turmoil in the Middle East.
As the only deep-water port for the U.S. military in the Mediterranean, Souda Bay’s supply and dispatch data hold significant military value for Iran and its proxies.
The suspect is currently charged with “espionage” and “hindering official duties.” Despite compelling electronic evidence, he insists that he was only engaged in “tourist photography.”
Additionally, it is noteworthy that the Greek Ministry of Defense arrested a Greek military member last Thursday (February 5), accusing him of leaking “classified information” to a “third party.” Greek media reports that the suspect is an Air Force officer who is suspected of assisting in espionage for China.