German arrested on Greek island of Chios on suspicion of spying

A 72-year-old German national was arrested on the eastern Aegean Sea island of Chios as suspect for espionage for a Turkish group, Greek police announced on Saturday. According to the initial information, the man who lived on the island over the past three years was detained while taking photographs of a military base. Police sources said that he admitted that he had been taking photographs of military bases and infrastructure and was handing the material over to at least five unidentified Turkish nationals who first approached him in 2010 for 500-1,500 euros (664- 1,993 U.S. dollars) each time. During a search at his residence police confiscated cameras, personal computers, USB sticks, mobile phones, maps and suspicious print material. The arrest comes just a few days after the arrests of eight persons- three Greek nationals and five Kurds of Turkish nationality- on the same island and across Greece who are accused of terrorism activity, possession and transport of illegal arms.