In Athens, a 54-year-old colonel of the Greek Air Force was taken into custody on charges of selling secret military data and NATO documents to Chinese intelligence. After an eight-hour interrogation, the officer pleaded guilty, explaining his actions by pressure from foreign intelligence services, which jeopardized the security of the country and the Alliance. This is reported by Ekathimerini, writes UNN.
Details
During his testimony, the colonel took full responsibility and apologized to the Armed Forces and his family. His lawyer, Vassilis Cheirdaris, stated that the defendant initially believed he was cooperating with a private company, but later found himself trapped.
From the moment he arrived in China, he was pressured to provide NATO documents. They mentioned his family, and he was forced to participate in the process.
The investigation established that the officer had access to confidential information regarding communication systems and air defense. The authorities seized the mobile phone through which secret files were sent to Beijing. The colonel claims that he had no accomplices within the service, and his trip to China was officially sanctioned by the leadership as a legal visit.
Punishment and consequences for national security
The military prosecutor's office charged the officer with collecting and transmitting state secrets, which carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison. According to the updated Criminal Code of Greece, the verdict may also lead to the deprivation of the convicted person's citizenship. Currently, the case is still being studied by the judicial authorities to assess the extent of the damage caused.
This incident became one of the most high-profile espionage scandals in Greece, highlighting the vulnerability of military personnel to manipulation by foreign intelligence services. The country's authorities have already initiated additional security checks among senior officers who have access to strategic NATO data.
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