Manama: In the latest of a flurry of espionage cases in the region, a Syrian national was arrested in Kuwait on charges of spying activities.
The expatriate was held on Sunday evening near Failaka Island, 20km off the coast of Kuwait City, using advanced cameras, Kuwaiti daily Annahar reported on Tuesday.
Citing security sources it did not identify, the daily said that the man was arrested by the Kuwaiti coastguard after they questioned him about his presence in the area late in the evening.
Six calls to Iran
"The guards were not convinced by his reply that he was enjoying the splendid weather," the daily said. "They also had doubts about his ability to own a 31-foot boat worth more than 24,000 dinars ($87,000) and decided to investigate him further. Upon checking his mobile, they discovered that his last six calls were to Iran," the daily said.
Bahrain on Friday said that it busted with assistance from Qatar a five-member cell with links to Iran plotting to carry out attacks on vital installations, including the 25km King Fahad Causeway linking Bahrain with Saudi Arabia. Iran on Monday rejected the charges.
Iran arrests two Kuwaiti 'spies'
Also On Monday, Iran said that it arrested two Kuwaiti spies in Abadan.
However, Kuwait refuted the claim, explaining that the two men had their papers in order and were on a media assignment for a private TV channel.
Tehran later retracted the espionage accusations and said that the pair, a lawyer and a cameraman, had violated the tourism visa rules.
