Who is the Greek arrested for sabotage on German warships

New details have emerged regarding the arrest of two suspects — one Greek and one Romanian — who are believed to have been involved in an attempt to sabotage German warships in the port of Hamburg.

According to information, police officers from Komotini’s Security, along with their German colleagues and following judicial assistance, carried out an operation on Tuesday morning (2/3) at the home of a 54-year-old Muslim Greek in Koptero, Rodopi. A European arrest warrant had been pending against him for sabotage on a German Navy ship.

The 54-year-old worked occasionally at the port of Hamburg and is accused, along with a Romanian, of causing sabotage on a German warship.

During the search at his home, digital evidence was seized, including a computer, hard drive, USB drive, and a small sum of money, all to be sent for further examination.

A European arrest warrant had been issued for him on October 10, 2025, for the sabotage of a defense vehicle, and it remained pending.

According to reports, the Greek Intelligence Service (EYP) had not listed the 54-year-old Muslim Greek on any special-interest lists, nor did he appear to have engaged in any extremist actions or contacts. However, with his involvement in this case, his profile and contacts will now be thoroughly examined.

So far, no suspicious trips or destinations have been linked to his identity, but the possibility of him using other forged documents, or having contacts with individuals who could have recruited or paid him to carry out such an action, will also be investigated.

How the suspects operated

According to information from German media, citing the Hamburg Prosecutor’s Office, the two men are said to have carried out acts of sabotage on more than one corvette while working at the Hamburg port last year. The ships were at a shipyard and were about to be delivered to the German Navy.

The same sources state that at times they acted alone and other times together: they placed over 20 kilograms of abrasive material in a ship’s engine, caused damage to the freshwater supply lines, removed fuel tank caps, and deactivated safety mechanisms in the ships’ electronic systems.

It is emphasized that had these actions not been detected in time, they could have caused severe damage or, at the very least, significantly delayed the departure of the ships, endangering the security of the Federal Republic of Germany and the operational readiness of its armed forces.

The German Prosecutor’s Office noted that the evaluation of the seized evidence is ongoing, and the possibility of individuals behind the acts of the accused is also being examined.

The “Emden” corvette at the center

In February of last year, the Inspector of the German Navy, Jan Christian Kaak, revealed that targeted acts of sabotage had occurred on more than one occasion on warships.

“There were destructions, meaning sabotage, on more than one unit,” the Admiral stated during the “Navy Talks” in Berlin, adding that enhanced security measures were taken at the shipyards.

Around the same time, German media WDR, NDR, and Süddeutsche Zeitung reported that the target of sabotage had also been the “Emden” corvette, which was built at the Blohm+Voss shipyard in Hamburg but had not yet been delivered to the Navy.

A spokesperson from the prosecutor’s office clarified to dpa that the incidents involving the “Emden” are the focus of the investigation. However, the arrest warrant is related to a suspected sabotage on a different ship.