Stories
Germany Arrests Former Foreign Intelligence Chief on Spying Allegations
- •August Hanning, who led Germany's BND from 1998 to 2005, was arrested on suspicion of treasonous espionage and spying out state secrets.
- •His former chief of staff, Manfred D., was also arrested for allegedly aiding and abetting treason.
- •Investigators claim Manfred D. transmitted roughly 2,000 classified documents to Hanning in exchange for money starting in 2010.
- •Hanning allegedly used the confidential intelligence for his private consulting work and shared some information with a foreign intelligence officer.
- •Authorities searched the properties of both suspects, while the identity of the foreign nation involved remains unconfirmed.
Key Questions Answered
August Hanning was arrested on allegations of treasonous espionage, spying out state secrets, attempted treason, and espionage. The federal prosecutor's office stated that he allegedly conspired to receive classified BND documents from his former chief of staff for remuneration and used them in his private consulting work.
A former aide and chief of staff named Manfred D. was arrested in Steinfurt on charges of aiding and abetting attempted treason and treasonous espionage. Investigators allege he transmitted approximately 2,000 documents containing classified BND intelligence to Hanning over the years in exchange for financial compensation.
Hanning utilized the classified intelligence for his private consulting work. On one occasion, he allegedly used the confidential information supplied by Manfred D. to draft an analysis for an officer of a foreign intelligence service, though investigators are still determining if the material reached its intended recipient.
