Greece and France Charge Suspects in China-Linked Espionage Targeting NATO Systems
Athens, Saturday, 7 February 2026.
Parallel investigations reveal a Greek colonel allegedly used specialized software to leak NATO secrets, while a French cell intercepted Starlink satellite data, signaling a coordinated security breach.
Coordinated Security Crackdown Across Europe
In a significant move to protect NATO’s southern flank, Greek authorities arrested a 54-year-old Air Force colonel on February 5, following an intelligence operation triggered by allied warnings [2][3][5]. The arrest, executed in the early hours at a military facility, was the result of a tip-off provided two months prior by the CIA, which alerted Greece’s National Intelligence Service that a member of the armed forces was leaking sensitive NATO-related information to China [1][5]. The suspect, who has reportedly confessed to the espionage charges, served in a critical staff position overseeing communications and electronic systems, a role that granted him access to highly classified operational data and new Armed Forces technologies [4][5].
High-Tech Tradecraft and Digital Interceptions
The methodology employed in the Greek case highlights a sophisticated level of tradecraft involving specialized technology. The colonel allegedly utilized a device equipped with encrypted software provided by Chinese handlers to photograph classified documents, subsequently transmitting the data via a specific QR code system to avoid detection [4][5]. This digital trail was uncovered after investigators, who had the suspect under surveillance for several months, detected a significant escalation in his activities and the accumulation of a large volume of sensitive material just before he could transmit high-tech military secrets [4][5]. The officer, who had been reassigned in July 2025 to a post with critical access in Kavouri, now faces the possibility of being stripped of his Greek nationality [1][2][5].
Strategic Implications for the Alliance
These simultaneous events underscore a broader vulnerability within the European defense infrastructure. While the Greek investigation has explicitly ruled out involvement from neighboring Turkey, officials emphasize the wider implications for the United States and the NATO alliance [2]. Greek investigators are currently working to establish a direct link between the colonel in Athens and the espionage cell dismantled in France, fearing the existence of a wider intelligence network operating across the continent [1][5]. The French investigation is now centered on the charge of “handing over information to a foreign power,” a crime that carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison [1].