The series of investigations, analyses and reports that follows is the result of a collaboration with experts from Neapolis University Pafos and the Center for Strategic & International Studies in Washington, D.C., as well as colleagues from the Middle East—whose names are withheld for security reasons—The National newspaper in the United Arab Emirates, journalists from the German public service broadcaster ARD network, the Serbian Crime and Corruption Reporting Network (KRIK), and the online magazine Inkstick.
Published in print by TA NEA newspaper, this special edition documents various aspects of arms trafficking to and from one of the world’s most volatile regions, where the latest conflict, which began in October 2023, has claimed at least 49,000 lives. By combining investigative reporting, data journalism, and expert analyses, we aim to illuminate the flow of arms and money, the key actors involved and their financial gains, and the broader implications for global security.
Hamas Weapons in Bulgaria
How a cache of weapons in southern Bulgaria is allegedly linked to a Hamas cell, planning attacks in Europe. iMEdD followed the trail of a man accused of being involved in the network.
Israel – Iran: The Nuclear Factor
Dr. Doreen Horschig, a fellow with the Project on Nuclear Issues at CSIS in Washington, D.C., analyses the current situation around the issue of nuclear power in the Middle East.
Shells and Sugar Paste: An Inside Look at International Arms Fairs
Russian photographer Nikita Teryoshin records international exhibitions of weapons systems. He talks to iMEdD about the unknown world in which billions of dollars and the cynicism of the battlefield coexist.
The Lebanese Fugitive Who Disappeared From Athens
How the arrest of a Lebanese man at Athens airport is tied to an international arms smuggling ring—spanning companies in Cyprus, Turkey, and Iraq—multi-million dollar contracts, and a dramatic escape from Greece.
Armaments: Israel and the Others
Data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) on international arms transfers to Israel, Syria, Iran, Lebanon, Yemen and Palestine. What does the data on the quantity and origin of transfers show?
Military Expenditure: Who Spends More?
Turkey and Israel increased their military expenditure more in 2023 than in 2022. A large percentage of GDP is spent on military expenditure for the economically struggling Lebanon.
Piraeus: A Shipping Container Bound for Lebanon
The 20-ton cargo of polyester resin seized at the port and the “Lebanese Resistance Movement.” What are “dual-use items,” and why do security gaps persist in European ports?
Gaza and Trump’s “Preference” of Private Armies
Which little – known American military company is set to profit in the wake of Israel’s war on the Palestinian enclave?
Rebels, Militias and Terrorists: The Non-State Agents in the Middle East
Armed groups outside state control compete to seize power the day after. What is the relationship between them and which countries support them?
Houthi Weapons and the Two Deaths in the Gulf of Aden
What a private security executive in the Gulf of Aden reveals. The court documents on the Houthi weapons seizure operation in which two American commandos died.
Syrian Shipowner in Piraeus on Sanctions List
A Houthi-linked exchange house, oil for Hezbollah, and two merchant ships at the centre of an international legal battle.
The Antonov Crash and the Serbian Arms Dealer
The Antonov’s cargo, parallels to previous arms smuggling cases, and its untracked flights through Greece.
Scientific Consultant: Dr. Marina Eleftheriadou
Content Director iMEdD: Aggelos Petropoulos
Αrt Director iMEdD: Evgenios Kalofolias
Editor in Chief: Kostas Koukoumakas
Editorial Team iMEdD:
Katerina Voutsina, Kelly Kiki, Κostas Koukoumakas,
Chrysoyla Marinou, George Schinas, Thanasis Troboukis
Contributors:
Dr. Doreen Horschig Phd (CSIS), Bojana Jovanovic (KRIK),
Michael Picard (Inkstick), Ahmet Șenyurt (SWR/ARD),
Tariq Tahir (The National), Nikolay Doychinov
Translations: Evita Lykou, Anatoli Stavroulopoulou
