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Greek national pleads not guilty in UK court to assisting a foreign intelligence service

Reuters

LONDON, Nov 6 (Reuters) - ‌A Greek man appeared in a London court on ​Friday ‌and pleaded not guilty to ‌carrying out surveillance on behalf of a foreign intelligence service ‌on a journalist working for the London-based television station Iran International.

Ioannis Aidinidis, 46, who was born in Georgia ⁠and lived in Munich, Germany, ‌at the time ⁠of his arrest, was charged in ​May under Britain's National Security Act. He was remanded in ​custody ahead of his trial ​in ‌May next year.

Police previously said Aidinidis' ​actions were believed to ⁠be on behalf of ‌Iran.

Prosecutors said ​at his first ​court appearance that Aidinidis had travelled to Britain twice, in April and in May, to carry ‌out surveillance of a journalist for Iran International, which is critical ‌of ​Iran's government.

Tehran has repeatedly denied involvement in attacks or plots in Britain.

(Reporting by Sam Tobin; editing by ‌William James and Sam Tabahriti)