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Warrant issued against former US embassy employee in Athens

Xinhua, February 17, 2015 Adjust font size:

A Greek magistrate investigating a phone-tapping scandal issued an arrest warrant against a former U.S. embassy employee on charges of espionage, Greek national news agency AMNA reported on Monday.

Greek authorities have so far only identified the 65-year-old defendant by his initials WB.

The case was brought to light in March 2005. According to Greek police, the then-prime minister Costas Karamanlis and several cabinet ministers were targeted by unidentified eavesdroppers.

The investigation at the time revealed "shadow mobile phones" connected to a recording machine with antennas across Athens.

Further examination of phone records showed that one of the controversial telephone connections was diverted to a phone number that belonged to the U.S. embassy in Athens, AMNA reported citing state sources.

The defendant is accused of playing a leading role in the conspiracy, according to Greek authorities.

WB was removed from Greece for a short while after the case came to light and returned to Athens in August 2005 under a diplomatic identity as the first secretary at the U.S. embassy. Endit