Azerbaijan protests to Germany over Baku link in Hannig spy case
In short
Azerbaijan has lodged a protest with Germany over a Der Spiegel report that mentioned Baku in the investigation of former German foreign intelligence chief August Hannig, Azerbaijani agency APA reported. Hannig was detained on 6 October on suspicion of espionage, obtaining state secrets and attempted treason. Azerbaijan's Media and Broadcasting Council called the Der Spiegel publication disinformation and part of a smear campaign.
Read the full story 2 min read
Azerbaijan has expressed a protest to Germany over the mention of Baku in a Der Spiegel article about the investigation into August Hannig, the former head of Germany's Federal Intelligence Service (BND). The Azerbaijani agency APA reported the protest, citing diplomatic sources; TASS carried the same report. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
According to APA's diplomatic sources, the Azerbaijani side conveyed the protest to the office of the German chancellor and to the German foreign ministry through diplomatic channels, and also through the intelligence services, Vedomosti reported. Azerbaijan's Media and Broadcasting Council separately called the publication disinformation and part of a smear campaign, Kommersant reported. [ 2 , 3 ]
Hannig was detained on 6 October. Investigators suspect him of espionage, obtaining state secrets and attempted treason, according to the documents. A former assistant, Manfred D., was detained with him and is accused of aiding him; prosecutors say the two agreed in 2010 on the regular handover of intelligence information for payment, and that over several years Manfred D. passed Hannig around 2,000 documents, many containing secret material for internal BND use. The investigation also holds that Hannig used the material in private consulting work. [ 2 , 3 ]
Der Spiegel, citing investigation materials, reported that Hannig may have been preparing an analytical report for Azerbaijani intelligence. Vedomosti, citing the same outlet, said Hannig obtained secret documents through his former chief of staff at the BND and used them in the report, and that the German federal prosecutor's office believes the document was later to reach an employee of a foreign intelligence service; Der Spiegel identified the presumed client as an Azerbaijani intelligence officer. Kommersant, also citing Der Spiegel, described the mechanism differently, saying Hannig received the material through an informant who remained at the BND, and that the leaked documents were intended solely for the German service's internal use, guiding preparation for weekly closed security briefings at the Federal Chancellery. [ 2 , 3 ]
Kommersant reported that Hannig headed the BND from 1998 to 2005, and that after leaving the service he was a member of the board of the German-Azerbaijani Forum — a link that, in the outlet's account, gave the publication a diplomatic dimension. Azerbaijan has not confirmed the reporting and has formally rejected it. [ 3 ]
Why it matters
The case involves a former head of Germany's BND and a reported link to Azerbaijani intelligence, giving an internal German espionage investigation a diplomatic dimension between Berlin and Baku. Azerbaijan's formal protest to the German chancellery and foreign ministry, and its rejection of the reporting as a smear campaign, suggest the dispute may continue at government level.
Key facts
- Azerbaijan expressed a protest to Germany over the mention of Baku in a Der Spiegel article about the investigation into former BND head August Hannig. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- According to APA diplomatic sources, the protest was conveyed to the German chancellor's office and the German foreign ministry through diplomatic channels and also through intelligence services. [ 2 ]
- Hannig was detained on 6 October on suspicion of espionage, obtaining state secrets and attempted treason. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Former assistant Manfred D. was detained alongside him and is accused of aiding him; prosecutors say the two agreed in 2010 on the regular handover of intelligence information for payment. [ 2 ]
- Investigators say Manfred D. passed Hannig around 2,000 documents over several years, many containing secret internal BND material. [ 2 ]
- Der Spiegel reported that Hannig may have been preparing an analytical report for Azerbaijani intelligence. [ 2 ]
- Azerbaijan's Media and Broadcasting Council called the publication disinformation and part of a smear campaign. [ 3 ]
- Hannig headed the BND from 1998 to 2005 and after leaving the service was a member of the board of the German-Azerbaijani Forum, according to a report cited by Kommersant. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Azerbaijan expressed a protest to Germany over the mention of Baku in the Der Spiegel article about the Hannig investigation. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- August Hannig, former head of Germany's Federal Intelligence Service, was detained on 6 October on suspicion of espionage and treason-related offences. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Der Spiegel reported a possible link between the material at issue and Azerbaijani intelligence. [ 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the material was in fact intended for Azerbaijani intelligence. The claim rests on Der Spiegel's account of investigation materials as cited by the other outlets; Azerbaijan rejects the reporting and has not confirmed it, and the documents give no independent confirmation.
- How Hannig obtained the documents. Vedomosti, citing Der Spiegel, says he received them through his former chief of staff at the BND, while Kommersant says he received them through an informant who remained at the BND.
- The identity and role of the alleged recipient. The German federal prosecutor's office says only that the document was to reach an employee of a foreign intelligence service, while Der Spiegel names an Azerbaijani intelligence officer; no name is given.
- Details of Manfred D. beyond the description of him as a former assistant accused of aiding Hannig. Only Vedomosti's account of the investigation materials provides these details.
- Where the Azerbaijani protest was delivered in person, and when. The documents say it went to the chancellery and the foreign ministry by diplomatic channels and through the intelligence services but name no location or time.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- TASS reports, citing APA, that Azerbaijan protested to Germany over the mention of Baku in the article about the Hannig case. [ 1 ]
- Vedomosti reports the protest was delivered to the German chancellor's office and foreign ministry, and details the Hannig investigation, including his 6 October detention. [ 2 ]
- Kommersant reports the protest, Azerbaijan's media regulator calling the article disinformation, and Hannig's BND tenure and German-Azerbaijani Forum role. [ 3 ]