Germany’s former intelligence chief August Hanning has been arrested over allegations including espionage, treason.
And obtaining classified information for a foreign power.
For a former spy boss, that is quite the reversal of roles.
Hanning, who led the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) from 1998 to 2005, is accused of using secret intelligence to prepare an analysis for a foreign intelligence officer.
He is also accused of maintaining contact with another foreign spy service.
Prosecutors have not identified either country. A former BND employee, Manfred D, was also arrested.
Investigators allege he supplied Hanning with around 2,000 classified documents over several years in exchange for money.
Prosecutors said many documents were intended strictly for internal BND use.
They are now investigating whether information Hanning prepared ever reached its foreign recipient.
Intelligence Scandals Resurface
The case reportedly surfaced during an investigation involving German steakhouse heiress Christina Block.
Police allegedly found a storage device containing sensitive BND material.
Germany’s intelligence services have faced similar scandals before.
Agents arrested August Hanning (pictured from 2015) at his home on Tuesday.
In 2023, a senior BND officer was charged with treason over alleged intelligence transfers to Russia.
Now, investigators are asking a troubling question.
When the people trusted with protecting state secrets are accused of mishandling them, who watches the watchers?
