British Plane Spotters - Greece

Last updated: 21 July 2011

Plane-spotters mistaken for spies

In November 2001 a group of plane-spotters, who had travelled to Greece to pursue their hobby on military bases, were stunned when they were arrested by Greek authorities who, unfamiliar with the practice of plane-spotting, believed the individuals could be spies. The group, including 12 British aviation enthusiasts, were arrested on suspicion of taking pictures in a restricted area. It later emerged that they had no cameras, and yet the charge was upgraded to spying.

At their trial, despite written evidence that the plane spotters had the Greek authorities’ permission to engage in their hobby, the judge shockingly took the view of the prosecution that the group knew they were endangering national security. Due to cultural misunderstanding, compromised translation and the notable absence of defence evidence, 8 of the plane spotters were found guilty of espionage and handed three year sentences. The remaining six were found guilty of aiding and abetting espionage and given a one year sentence suspended for three years.

Following a high profile political campaign to ensure a fair re-trial, all the plane spotters were finally acquitted at appeal in November 2002 and were able to return home.

The lack of knowledge about practices common in other cultures can lead to misunderstandings and even the jailing of innocent individuals. In this case, the Greek authorities did not appear to understand that plane-spotting is in fact a relatively common hobby.