Germany’s former foreign intelligence chief, August Hanning, has been formally arrested on suspicion of espionage and attempted treason in a case that has sent shockwaves through the country’s intelligence community.
Hanning, 80, who headed Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service (BND) from 1998 to 2005, was initially detained on Tuesday. On Wednesday, a judge at Germany’s Federal Court of Justice issued a formal arrest warrant, allowing him to remain in custody while investigations continue.
Federal prosecutors accuse Hanning of obtaining confidential intelligence from a former BND official and using some of the material for private consulting activities and in dealings with foreign intelligence representatives.
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The allegations include treasonous espionage, obtaining state secrets, attempted treason and espionage.
According to federal prosecutors, Hanning and his former associate, identified under German privacy rules as Manfred D., reached an agreement in 2010 under which the former BND official allegedly supplied him with intelligence in return for payment.
Prosecutors say Manfred D. had access to sensitive information because he continued working as chief of staff to several BND presidents after Hanning left the agency.
Investigators allege that approximately 2,000 documents were supplied to Hanning between 2010 and June 2022. Some of the documents reportedly contained classified information intended for internal BND use.
Prosecutors further allege that Hanning used some of the information to support his private consulting activities.
In one case, investigators believe he used classified material to prepare an analysis for an employee of a foreign intelligence service. However, authorities said they have not established whether the analysis actually reached its intended recipient.
Hanning is also accused of passing political information to another foreign intelligence representative over a period of several years.
Manfred D. was also arrested and is suspected of aiding and abetting attempted treason and treasonous espionage.
German prosecutors have not publicly identified the foreign intelligence service allegedly involved in the case.
German magazine Der Spiegel has reported a possible connection to Azerbaijan, saying Hanning had been in contact with an Azerbaijani intelligence representative. However, this remains a media report and has not been confirmed by German prosecutors.
Azerbaijan has strongly rejected the allegation.
Its Media and Broadcasting Council described the reports as unfounded and said they were intended to damage relations between Azerbaijan and Germany. A senior Azerbaijani official also said German intelligence authorities had indicated through official channels that the case was not connected to Azerbaijani intelligence.
Hanning’s lawyer has also denied that his client passed information to the detriment of Germany or received payment for doing so, while acknowledging that Hanning possessed confidential documents.
Case Raises Security Concerns in Germany
The arrest has raised concerns about the possible impact on Germany’s relationships with allied intelligence agencies.
Marc Henrichmann, chairman of the parliamentary committee responsible for overseeing Germany’s intelligence services, described the allegations as deeply concerning. He said authorities would need to determine what information may have been compromised and whether foreign partners could have been affected.
Germany’s current BND chief, Martin Jaeger, said the agency had conducted extensive internal investigations before federal prosecutors took over the case. He stressed that there would be no compromise on internal security.
The German government has also said it is taking the allegations seriously and will support the investigation.
The case has renewed calls from some German politicians for tighter restrictions on former senior officials who retain access to sensitive information and later enter private consulting.
For now, the full extent of the alleged intelligence breach remains unclear. Authorities have yet to establish publicly which foreign intelligence services may have received information, or whether all of the material allegedly obtained by Hanning was actually passed outside Germany.
Hanning remains presumed innocent unless and until a court establishes his guilt.
Contributor: Michael Costa
Sources: Reuters, Associated Press (AP)
