Espionage suspects to appear before prosecutor

Two individuals accused of spying against Greece are set to testify before a prosecutor on the southeastern Aegean island of Rhodes on Monday.

One of the suspects has been identified as a 35-year-old secretary at the Turkish Consulate on Rhodes. The second suspect, aged 56, was employed as a cook on a passenger ferry connecting the islands of Rhodes and Kastellorizo. Both islands are close to the Turkish coast.

Both suspects have been identified as members of Muslim minority.

The 35-year-old secretary of the consulate has declared ignorance over the claims made in the initial testimony to investigators by the ship’s cook. He says the two discussed the coronavirus epidemic.

Meanwhile, according to reports on Monday, the 56-year-old has recanted his initial testimony whereby he admitted that he had been recruited by the secretary in order to provide him with information on the movements of the Hellenic Armed Forces in the southeastern Aegean.

According to the same reports, his lawyer has stated that his client denies all charges directed at him.