Kalamata - Fourteen British and Dutch tourists were freed on bail yesterday after pledging to return to stand trial in a case that has strained relations between Greece and Britain.
Judicial sources said the 14 self-declared "plane-spotters" who were arrested last month after taking photographs of military installations, would probably return home later in the day.
Charges against the group - 11 British men, one British woman and two Dutchmen - were reduced to misdemeanour allegations.
The sources said the case could take at least a year to go to court.
The tourists were arrested on November 8th at Kalamata on the southern mainland of Greece and charged with spying after taking the photographs.
They said they were simply plane-spotters - aviation enthusiasts who make a hobby out of collecting aircraft identification numbers and photographs. The pastime is popular in Britain but virtually unheard of in Greece.
As in many countries, the law in Greece strictly forbids anyone from taking pictures of sensitive military sites or equipment such as aircraft. Noting down identification marks on military aircraft is also outlawed.
Greek officials claim the party had already been warned about the country's legislation on a number of occasions before their arrest but carried on photographing military sites regardless.