Turkish seaman faces charges of spying after arrest at Elefsina
A Turkish seaman is facing charges of spying following his arrest at the port of Elefsina, western Attica, the Hellenic Coast Guard said on Friday.
The Turkish Embassy in Athens has been briefed on the incident and has asked for a translator and lawyer, sources said.
According to a statement from the Hellenic Coast Guard, the 51-year-old, a member of the crew of the Turkish cargo vessel Makbule Ana, was arrested on Wednesday morning. He is alleged to have been photographing the Salamina Navy Yard.
He faced a Piraeus misdemeanors' court on Thursday and was released pending trial on February 9.
The development comes amid an escalating war of words between Ankara and Athens over territorial rights. In the latest development, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim told reporters in comments published on Friday that a total of 130 islets in the Aegean "have no identity" and are therefore subject to dispute.
