Greek authorities have detained a 36-year-old man on suspicion of spying on a key U.S. naval facility on the island of Crete, police and intelligence sources said Monday.
The suspect was taken into custody at Athens International Airport following information provided by Greece’s intelligence service. Officials said an investigation is underway, with digital evidence currently being examined.
The facility at Souda Bay is a strategic military hub in the eastern Mediterranean, hosting installations for Greece, the United States and the NATO alliance. The base has played a key logistical role in recent regional operations.
According to a Greek intelligence source, photographs of the U.S. aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford were found on the suspect’s mobile phone. Authorities are also investigating potential links between the man and an individual in Iran through a mobile messaging application.
The suspect, identified as a Georgian national, reportedly arrived in Greece from Germany on February 3 and had been staying at a hotel near Souda Bay last month. He has not yet made any public statement regarding the accusations.
Security around the naval and air force base in western Crete has been tightened following recent U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran. In June, Greek police arrested another man on suspicion of espionage who had also stayed near the base for several days.
Authorities are now examining whether the two cases are connected as part of a broader counterintelligence investigation.