Two Czech self-described combat videogame game developers were arrested on the Greek island of Lemnos on suspicion of espionage after being caught filming military installations, police said on Tuesday.

The two men, aged 28 and 33, will be taken to a prosecutor on the neighbouring Aegean Sea island of Lesbos later in the day, police said.

A police source told AFP the two men were arrested on Monday near an army camp.

"They were found to be in possession of a video camera and a photo camera containing footage from various military installations on the island," he added.

The detainees say the footage was to be used in "ARMA 3", a combat game by Czech developers Bohemia Interactive that is to be released later this year.

Czech authorities said the arrests occurred Sunday.

"We have a statement from the Greek police saying they were taking pictures and video footage of military facilities on the island on which they were detained, and that they entered the military facilities despite a warning," foreign ministry spokesman Vit Kolar said in Prague.

"We are in contact with Greek authorities, and we have also contacted the two detained men. The case will probably be handled by Greek authorities, and the police say the charges are serious."

The mayor of Lemnos last year had publicly protested against the island's inclusion in the game.

"We cannot fathom that our island, a place of peace and creation, will be turned into a scene for violence and battle," Mayor Antonis Hatzidiamantis had told Eleftherotypia daily.

Some footage from the game that was released at the time showed a Lemnos power plant, a hotel and a town in the distance, Eleftherotypia said.

Bohemia Interactive in 2001 won the best PC game developer award at London's ECTS exhibition, Europe's largest electronic entertainment fair.