An 80-year-old former German intelligence chief has been arrested on charges of espionage, described as "the largest spy scandal in a century" by Deutsche Welle.
On October 6, local time, reports from the Wall Street Journal and Deutsche Welle indicated that German police arrested August Hanning, the former head of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND), on charges of espionage and attempted treason. According to the German federal prosecutor's office, Hanning is accused of illegally obtaining classified information over several years and passing at least one piece of information to foreign intelligence agents. He was arrested at his home in the small northwestern town of Nordwalde.
Hanning served as the BND chief from December 1998 to November 2005. He later held the position of Deputy Minister of the Interior until 2009.
Additionally, German police arrested a man named Manfred, who served as a branch chief during Hanning's tenure. Manfred, who was Hanning's chief of staff, is accused of passing classified information to Hanning for over a decade while he was the BND branch chief from 2012 to 2026. Prosecutors found that Manfred had handed over approximately 2,000 documents to Hanning, including materials prepared for regular meetings of the Chancellor's Office and security officials. The Telegraph reported, citing the Süddeutsche Zeitung, that the leaked documents included information from foreign partner intelligence agencies, covering topics such as Iran's nuclear program and the Russian military.
It is believed that the two men were motivated by financial gain in their espionage activities. Local prosecutors suspect that in 2010, Manfred agreed to provide classified information in exchange for payment from Hanning. The leaked documents are thought to have been used by Hanning for his personal consulting business.
The arrest of a former BND chief is noted as unprecedented since the agency's establishment in 1956 during the Cold War. The agency has maintained its role even after German reunification. Furthermore, the news of the arrest comes as German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is taking steps to strengthen the agency's authority, including the appointment of current chief Martin Jaeger. Jaeger stated that a thorough internal audit is underway, emphasizing that "there will be no compromise on internal security," according to Reuters.
The German prosecutor's office has not disclosed which country Hanning allegedly spied for. However, Reuters, citing the SZ newspaper, reported that the case is not linked to Russia.
Hanning has been known for advocating a tough stance on Russia in public forums. In a 2024 interview with the Telegraph, he criticized Germany for its naivety and urged the country to recognize the realities of potential war, stating, "Russia is in conflict with NATO, and Germany is involved in that conflict."
The investigation began when Hamburg prosecutors searched Hanning's home in connection with unrelated child abduction charges. During the search, investigators discovered BND classified documents, which led to the additional findings of espionage and treason charges.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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