Greek air force officer arrested on suspicion of spying for China | Greece
A Greek air force officer arrested on suspicion of spying for China has been detained pending trial after appearing before a military judge in a case seen as revealing Beijing’s determination to infiltrate Europe’s security and intelligence services.
Surrounded by armed escort, a squadron leader identified as Colonel Christos Flessas emerged from court late Tuesday after testifying for more than eight hours.
The 54-year-old man faces life imprisonment if convicted of charges that include “transmitting top-secret information of a military nature to China.” The man, who reportedly had access to sensitive military information including armed force technologies under development, is believed to have been recruited by Beijing last year.
Reports in the Greek media stated that he admitted that he took photos of secret NATO documents and forwarded them using special encryption software provided by Chinese intelligence. He had allegedly studied tradecraft in China during an undeclared trip to the country where military sources claim he ultimately exposed him.
In a statement released by his lawyer following his court appearance, Flessas said: “I unknowingly and unintentionally became involved in something that became nightmarish, dangerous and illegal. “I did not try to justify myself in my statement or even try to defend myself in reality. […] “I want him to be punished with a fair sentence,” he said.
Greek officials were reportedly informed by the CIA about the extent of the leak, and in a highly unusual statement following Flessas’ arrest on February 5, the Greek general staff said there was “clear evidence of crimes punishable under the military criminal code.”
Chinese agents are thought to have initially approached their target online before assigning him to a NATO conference in an unidentified European country. Flessas reportedly said he was deceived with promises of financial rewards in foreign currencies and digital payments of between 5,000 and 15,000 euros for each transmission made. He told a military judge on Tuesday that contact with the agents who led him to his superior was first made through LinkedIn.
Nicholas Eftimiades, a retired senior US intelligence officer with considerable expertise in Chinese espionage operations, said the case was a “wake-up call” for the Greek government and military.
“[It’s] “It is important because it shows China’s desire and ability to infiltrate the military communications infrastructure of Greece and other NATO members,” he said, and continued: “Nations spy on other militaries to gain an advantage in war. “Despite all its declarations of friendship and economic engagement, China continues to evolve as a threat to democracies around the world.”
Flessas had previously served as a NATO evaluator in information systems and was commanding a battalion undergoing telecommunications training in the Athens suburb of Kavouri at the time of his arrest.
Eftimiades, whose book Chinese Espionage Operations and Tactics was published last year, said the west is increasingly vulnerable to Beijing’s spymasters because citizens in China are “obligated by law” to support their country’s espionage efforts.
Last week, four people, including two Chinese citizens, were arrested in France on suspicion of intercepting and collecting military intelligence. In September, a former aide to a member of parliament from the far-right Alternative für Deutschland party was sentenced to almost five years in prison for spying for China.
“China is using a ‘whole of society’ approach to conduct espionage around the world,” said Eftimiades, who now teaches homeland security at Penn State University. “[It] It is unlike any western government’s efforts. The intensity of activity makes it impossible to oppose this… Western societies are open democracies. “This makes them extremely vulnerable to China’s covert influence efforts.”
Media reports on Tuesday claimed that the Greek air force officer was cooperating fully with the authorities. But well-placed insiders said there were fears that other military officials were also involved. One of them said the armed forces made the case public as a warning.
“What we are seeing is unprecedented,” said Plamen Tonchev, an expert on China-Greece affairs. “Greece is seen as a relatively China-friendly country. This is the first time China has been so openly involved in this kind of espionage.”
Tonchev, an expert on Sino-Greek relations, said the incident would “tarnish the image” of Beijing, which took control of most of the port of Piraeus a decade ago.
An estimated 24% of imports from China to Europe are sent through Piraeus’ container terminals, which Tonchev said is a source of “great pride” for Beijing.
