North arrests local man on espionage charges

A Turkish Cypriot has been arrested in the north on espionage charges, with police saying he was taking photos of military installations with the intention of handing them over to a Greek Cypriot contact.

According to local media in the north, the suspect was brought before a Turkish Cypriot judge and admitted that he was planning to hand over photos to an unidentified Greek Cypriot male in the south.

The suspect is accused of taking photos of an army camp within the walls of Famagusta old city near the port, according to investigators who scrutinized the content on the camera.

The photos were reportedly taken with a digital camera, capturing images including army vehicles and personnel movements within the base.

The suspect told investigators during interrogation that he was planning to hand over the photos to a Greek Cypriot man and that he also had his “Greek Cypriot phone number” in the south.

Police said the suspect’s phone will be sent for forensic analysis to possibly uncover text messages and other evidence, while residences belonging to the Turkish Cypriot suspect were also conducted in Agios Sergios (Yeni Bogazici) and Engomi (Tuzla).

Reports said additional cameras, mobile phones, and laptop computers were confiscated during the searches, while the judge ordered the suspect to remain in custody for two days.