Planespotters await Greek decision

Dutch planespotter Frank Mink arrives at a courthouse in Kalamata, Greece

ATHENS, Greece -- Greek judges are due to meet to consider the immediate fate of 14 plane-spotters accused of spying.

The 12 people from Britain and two from The Netherlands have been held since November 8, when they were arrested for allegedly taking sensitive photographs and notes while attending an air force day at a military air base in Kalamata.

Lawyers for the group say the three-judge panel could decide on Wednesday to free some or all of the group, or send them to trial. If the panel decides to release any of the suspects, they could be freed on the same day.

The panel adjourned on Tuesday without making a decision.

Despite appeals by the UK government for the planespotters to be freed, a Greek prosecutor recommended on Monday that the group should stand trial on charges of espionage, defence lawyer Iannis Zacharias said.

If tried on felony charges of espionage, they face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison.

The 14 claim they did not violate the ban on photography at military air bases and were only engaged in their hobby of observing and taking notes about aircraft.

But Greek officials say the group was warned on three occasions before their arrest that photography was not allowed in military areas and that their activities were regarded as suspicious.

Straw raises issue

The case, which has highlighted the different European Union judicial systems as the bloc considers an EU-wide arrest warrant for certain crimes, has become a cause celebre in Britain.

British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw met his Greek counterpart, George Papandreou, in Brussels this week and urged the country to resolve the issue.

Straw said he hoped the charges would at least be reduced from espionage, but admitted that the Greek government's hands were tied because of the separation of authority between the state and judiciary -- which also applies in Britain.

"Nothing would please me more than if they were released in the next few days, but I don't want to raise the hopes of people detained," Straw said after the talks, held on the sidelines of a European Union foreign ministers' meeting.

"We agreed that it is not possible for ministers to order the judiciary around."

It was Straw's fourth meeting on the issue, and Papandreou also discussed the fate of the planespotters with the Dutch foreign minister.