26-year-old Azerbaijani arrested for espionage in Souda, Crete

A 26-year-old Azerbaijani national was arrested on Thursday, June 22, in Souda, Crete, following an operation by the EYP (National Intelligence Service) on charges of espionage. The man allegedly photographed military installations.

The arrested man, who held a Polish passport, had rented a room in a hotel near the Souda air base, from where he carried out the photography. According to reports, he had requested a room overlooking the harbor and had booked his stay for a month, arriving in Chania on June 18.

During the search of his room, authorities seized a memory card, a mobile phone and a camera. It was found that he had taken over 5,000 photographs of the entrance and exit of the port.

Special encryption software was found on his computer, through which he allegedly sent the photos. Authorities are investigating the recipient of the photos. The 26-year-old, who speaks Russian and Turkish, is not cooperating with the authorities and has requested legal representation.