Disguises and Encrypted Apps: Georgian Spy Suspect Mirrored Previous Operative at Greek Naval Base

08:59 4/3/2026 - Πηγή: iEfimerida

A 36-year-old Georgian man arrested on espionage charges used physical disguises, encrypted software, and identical safehouses to mirror a previous spy at the strategic U.S. naval base at Souda Bay, Greek intelligence sources have revealed.

National Intelligence Service agents tailed the suspect for weeks following his arrival from Germany early February. 

During his stay in Crete, the suspect donned a cap and sunglasses for every hotel exit, aggressively scouted base overlooks, and photographed the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier on Feb. 24 using a rented vehicle.

Despite claiming he was merely a tourist hunting for real estate who "loved the food," interrogators dismissed his alibi amid damning digital and behavioral evidence. Investigators noted the suspect spoke fluent Arabic and Persian while indoors, allegedly communicating through encrypted Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps channels.

The Georgian national's movements strikingly mirrored those of a 26-year-old Azerbaijani operative arrested at the same NATO installation last summer. 

The new suspect paid cash upfront for a five-night stay at the same Souda Plaza hotel used by his predecessor. 

After failing to secure the Azerbaijani's former haunt in Kalami, he leased a prime-view villa in the area through mid-May.

On Saturday, the suspect traveled to Athens, strolling through central districts like Monastiraki, Omonia, and Syntagma without making known contacts. 

Authorities ultimately apprehended him at Eleftherios Venizelos Airport on Monday before he could board an outbound flight to an unknown destination.

Forensic cyber specialists confirmed Tuesday that the suspect's mobile encryptor software matches the self-deleting applications used in the previous espionage case. 

The arrest marks the second suspected spy snared at the critical Mediterranean linchpin in eight months, as regional proxy conflicts involving Iran continue to flare. 

The suspect remains under a strict exit ban as authorities formally seal the charges.

By Katia Niakari

Διαβάστε περισσότερα στο iefimerida.gr

Διαβάστε ολόκληρο το άρθρο >>
Keywords
spy, greek, greek, spy, software, mirror, bay, germany, february, crete, hotel, exit, uss, ford, vehicle, real, food, nato, summer, plaza, villa, saturday, athens, central, syntagma, flight, unknown, cyber, tuesday, mobile, iran, iefimerida, iefimerida, ford, iran, real, unknown, athens, summer, bay, mobile, central, crete, cyber, exit, food, february, flight, germany, hotel, mirror, villa, nato, night, plaza, software, saturday, syntagma, tuesday, uss, vehicle, view
Τυχαία Θέματα
tvnea.blogspot.com, αβερωφ, πακισταν, yum
iNews > Ειδήσεις > iEfimerida