Greece arrests two men on Rhodes on suspicion of spying

Greek police on Dec. 12 said that two Greek men on the island of Rhodes were arrested on suspicion of spying against Greece. Media reports said that one of the men worked at the Turkish consulate as the secretary in Rhodes.

File photo.

Duvar English - Reuters

Two Greek men on the island of Rhodes have been arrested on suspicion of spying against Greece, police said late on Dec. 12. 

It did not specify on whose behalf the suspects were allegedly spying.

One of the suspects worked at a consulate on the island, police said in a statement, while the other was employed on a passenger ferry which services a route between Rhodes and the island of Kastellorizo, police said in a statement.

Both islands lie close to the Turkish coast.

A senior police official said that one of the suspects was accused of photographing movements of Greek armed forces in the Aegean Sea.

The suspects were arrested but are not in custody pending investigation, as is the norm in Greece.

According to Greek City Times, one of those apprehended worked at the Turkish consulate as the secretary in Rhodes. The men are accused of videoing and photographing warships and military installations and passing on the information to an employee of the Turkish consulate, it said. 

Greece and Turkey have a long-standing dispute over explorations rights in the Mediterranean Sea, which is considered to be rich in energy resources.

Tensions flared up in August when Ankara sent a seismic explorations ship in waters claimed by Greece.