The suspect, named by Lebanon's foreign ministry as Mohammad Saleh, was stopped during a routine security check when his description matched those on a German warrant for his arrest, police said. He was also wanted by German authorities for kidnapping in 1987.
"Based on instructions by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Gebran Bassil, the Lebanese embassy in Athens is following the case of Lebanese journalist Mohammad Saleh who has been detained by Greek police," the ministry said, according to Lebanon's state-owned National News Agency.
"It made the necessary phone-calls with the Syros police division where he was arrested -- requesting that he be granted a lawyer and a medic," the statement read.
"A charges d'affaires will head to Athens at 7am on Sunday to Syros island to meet with Saleh and to offer him consular assistance," the Ministry added.
"The suspect denies any involvement in the hijacking," police spokesman Theodoros Chronopoulos told CNN.
"He has been remanded in custody on the island of Syros and is to be transferred to a high security prison in Athens," the police spokesman added.
Greek police are cooperating with German authorities on the investigation, Chronopoulos said.
Hijackers seized control of the Boeing 727 aircraft shortly after it took off from Athens, en route to Rome, on June 14, 1985.
The terrorists held more than 100 passengers aboard the plane as hostages for several days, before gradually releasing them in stages.
Some passengers were beaten and a US Navy diver on board the aircraft was beaten and killed during the ordeal, according to Reuters news agency. Dozens of passengers were held hostage over the following two weeks, Reuters said.
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