Seeing as how this is directly related to ArmA 3, thought I should post it.
Greek news sites are reporting that two Czechs have been arrested on Lemnos, after taking photographs and video of military installations. The two claim to be developers working for Bohemia Interactive, out gathering reference material for Arma 3, which takes place on the Greek island. This hasn’t yet washed with the Greek authorities who’ve slapped them with espionage charges.
The story has been confirmed by Marek Spanel, CEO and co-founder of Bohemia Interactive, who elected not to discuss the matter any further on the official Bohemia Interactive forums, “at least until we know more specific details about the case.”
This isn’t the first time the Greek authorities have been a bit over-enthusiastic in their counter-espionage policy. In 2001, 12 British plane spotters were held on spying charges for taking photographs at an air-show near Kalamata, in southern Greece. Though they were confident of being cleared at the time, eight received three-year sentences for espionage, and the rest were convicted of aiding and abetting.
Well lesson learnt from this: Stay away from Greece, period. If you risk to be thrown in jail for taking photographs of a civilian airport then that's not a place I wanna visit. Gonna cancel our trip to Santorini next year and find something more pleasant.
I hope those 2 guys get released again soon. I think Greece is doing this every now and than, a few years ago with some British or were they Dutch plane spotters. Now with BI staff.
Maybe it is that major who was complainign about Arma 3 before who knew they were around and got them arrested. Or was that on the other island?
No need to slam greece for this, it's understandable if they were taking 'photographs and video of military installations'. then I suppose the authorities have every right to detain and ask what they were doing, nothing will come of it I guess, but they really should of got permission first especially after the heated response by locals of limos.
FYI greece is a very nice place to visit, the people, the land, the weather is in my opinion better then anywhere else, having just got back from a trip to corfu.
Its the same with anywhere else, if you start taking pictures of military or anything that's a threat to national security, you're asking for trouble.
EDIT:
Who knows the officials may have thought the photographers were terrorists plotting an airport attack, they should be commended for they're swift response really. FREE BIS!!
This post was edited by VIPER[CWW] (2012-09-11 23:50, ago)
Well I wouldn't blame Greece for this, at least not if the military were not aware of BIS and their upcoming game.
But this makes me think anyway... So much efforts in little things like this when there are bigger problems.
I hope they free them as soon as possible.
This post was edited by DeltaForce (2012-09-12 02:31, ago)
@Delta force Hates a strong word, but I will now bomb that base in arma III once they're released and the game is released ^^ @ W0lle you'll need to build me that mission
This post was edited by Foxhound (2012-10-16 21:17, ago)
Are these guys still in jail over there, or has this whole thing been cleared up?
Also, the Greek government is not happy with BI's selection of scenery.
"We are in contact with Greek authorities, and we have also contacted the two detained men. The case will probably be handled by Greek authorities, and the police say the charges are serious." - Czech foreign ministry spokesman Vit Kolar.
The mayor of Lemnos last year had publicly protested against the island's inclusion in the game.
"We cannot fathom that our island, a place of peace and creation, will be turned into a scene for violence and battle," Mayor Antonis Hatzidiamantis had told Eleftherotypia daily. source
#RyanHunter24 :
Are these guys still in jail over there, or has this whole thing been cleared up?
Also, the Greek government is not happy with BI's selection of scenery.
"We are in contact with Greek authorities, and we have also contacted the two detained men. The case will probably be handled by Greek authorities, and the police say the charges are serious." - Czech foreign ministry spokesman Vit Kolar.
The mayor of Lemnos last year had publicly protested against the island's inclusion in the game.
"We cannot fathom that our island, a place of peace and creation, will be turned into a scene for violence and battle," Mayor Antonis Hatzidiamantis had told Eleftherotypia daily. source
The last quote is funny because it only gets turned into a scene for violence and battle if you play the game, so I guess he won't be online anytime soon hehe...Serious note: I think it's silly, I hope the two guys are released, and the Greek authorities allow them to proceed for creation and entertainment purposes...All this spy crap is just rubbish they are a high profile gaming company.
It's not silly, it's retarted. Especially in this days where Greece is damn close to turn into a failed state.
Instead bitching and whining like girls, they should be happy and grateful that there homeland has been chosen. But of course, the European taxpayers keep them alive and save their asses every month so why they should bother about promoting their islands.
We cannot fathom that our island, a place of peace and creation, will be turned into a scene for violence and battle
Oh really? If the EU wouldn't pump billions into Greece, there would be uprisings long time and Mayor Antonis Hatzidiamantis probably would hang at some tree or streetlamp.
#W0lle :
It's not silly, it's retarted. Especially in this days where Greece is damn close to turn into a failed state.
Instead bitching and whining like girls, they should be happy and grateful that there homeland has been chosen. But of course, the European taxpayers keep them alive and save their asses every month so why they should bother about promoting their islands.
Oh really? If the EU wouldn't pump billions into Greece, there would be uprisings long time and Mayor Antonis Hatzidiamantis probably would hang at some tree or streetlamp.
I could not have said it better myself. Amen brother, Amen.
