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Former German BND chief August Hanning arrested on espionage suspicion
En breve
August Hanning, the former president of Germany's foreign intelligence service, the BND, was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of treasonous espionage, spying out state secrets, attempted treason and espionage, the federal prosecutor's office said. A former aide identified as Manfred D. was also arrested and charged with aiding and abetting attempted treason and treasonous espionage. The two are suspected of an arrangement in which Manfred D. passed BND material to Hanning for payment, according to the prosecutor's statement.
Leer la noticia completa 2 min de lectura
August Hanning, the former president of Germany's Federal Intelligence Service, known by its German acronym BND, was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion that he passed state secrets to a foreign intelligence service, the federal prosecutor's office said. Hanning, 80, who led the BND from 1998 to 2005, was arrested in Bad Toelz-Wolfratshausen in southern Germany. The prosecutor's office said he is “strongly suspected of treasonous espionage, spying out state secrets, attempted treason, and espionage.” [ 1 , 2 ]
A former aide, identified as Manfred D., was also arrested on Tuesday, in Steinfurt in western Germany, and has been charged with aiding and abetting attempted treason and treasonous espionage, the prosecutor's office said. According to the Associated Press account of the prosecutor's statement, the premises of both men were searched on Tuesday. [ 1 , 2 ]
The prosecutor's office said Manfred D. worked as Hanning's chief of staff and later served as chief of staff for several subsequent BND presidents from 2012 until 2026. “In his role, he had access to confidential information,” the prosecutor's office said. [ 2 ]
Both suspects are believed to have agreed in 2010 to have Manfred D. continuously transmit valuable intelligence from the BND to Hanning in exchange for payment, according to the statement. The current findings suggest that over the years Manfred D. provided Hanning with approximately 2,000 documents, many of which contained classified information intended exclusively for the federal intelligence service's internal purposes. [ 2 ]
The federal prosecutor's statement did not reveal who the two men were suspected of spying for. Bloomberg reported that Hanning was taken into custody as part of an investigation into treason and espionage allegations, and that police also arrested a second person described as Manfred D. NPR, citing the federal prosecutor's office, reported that a former head of Germany's foreign intelligence service was arrested on suspicion of passing state secrets to a foreign intelligence service. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Por qué importa
The case involves a former head of Germany's foreign intelligence service and a long-serving chief of staff who, prosecutors say, had access to confidential information, putting the handling of state secrets at the centre of the investigation. Prosecutors have not named the foreign intelligence service the two men are suspected of spying for, leaving the scope of any foreign involvement unknown.
Datos clave
- August Hanning, 80, former president of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) from 1998 to 2005, was arrested on Tuesday in Bad Toelz-Wolfratshausen in southern Germany. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The federal prosecutor's office says Hanning is “strongly suspected of treasonous espionage, spying out state secrets, attempted treason, and espionage.” [ 1 , 2 ]
- A former aide identified as Manfred D. was arrested the same day in Steinfurt in western Germany and charged with aiding and abetting attempted treason and treasonous espionage. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The federal prosecutor's office said the statement did not reveal who the two men were suspected of spying for. [ 2 ]
- Prosecutors said Manfred D. served as Hanning's chief of staff and later as chief of staff for several subsequent BND presidents from 2012 until 2026, giving him access to confidential information. [ 2 ]
- According to the prosecutor's statement, both suspects are believed to have agreed in 2010 for Manfred D. to continuously transmit valuable intelligence from the BND to Hanning in exchange for payment. [ 2 ]
- The statement says findings suggest Manfred D. provided Hanning with roughly 2,000 documents over the years, many containing classified information intended exclusively for internal BND use. [ 2 ]
Confirmado por varias fuentes
- August Hanning, a former head of Germany's foreign intelligence service, was arrested on suspicion connected to passing state secrets to a foreign intelligence service, per the federal prosecutor's office. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- A second person, Manfred D., was arrested and faces charges of aiding and abetting attempted treason and treasonous espionage. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Hanning is accused of treasonous espionage, spying out state secrets, attempted treason and espionage. [ 1 , 2 ]
Aún sin aclarar
- Which foreign intelligence service the two men are suspected of spying for. The federal prosecutor's statement did not reveal the service, and no document names it.
- Whether Manfred D. remained chief of staff for BND presidents through 2026. Stated only by the Associated Press, drawing on the prosecutor's statement; no other document gives this.
- Whether the premises of both men were searched. Reported only by the Associated Press; the other documents do not mention searches.
- The exact number and content of the documents allegedly passed. The figure of about 2,000 documents and the classified nature of many of them come from a single document, the Associated Press account of the prosecutor's statement.
- Whether the alleged payment arrangement dates to 2010. Single-source claim from the Associated Press account of the prosecutor's statement.
- The Associated Press headline describes Hanning as a former domestic intelligence chief, while its article and the other documents say he led the foreign intelligence service, the BND. Internal discrepancy in one document; the other documents specify the foreign service.
Qué dicen los medios locales
Cronología, hora local
- Bloomberg reports that August Hanning, described as Germany's former foreign intelligence chief, was taken into custody in an investigation into treason and espionage allegations, and that a second person identified as Manfred D. was also arrested. [ 1 ]
- The Associated Press reports the arrest of August Hanning, 80, former BND president, in Bad Toelz-Wolfratshausen and of former aide Manfred D. in Steinfurt, citing the federal prosecutor's office statement. [ 2 ]
- NPR reports that a former head of Germany's foreign intelligence service was arrested on suspicion of passing state secrets to a foreign intelligence service, citing the federal prosecutor's office. [ 3 ]