August Hanning, the former head of Germany’s BND foreign intelligence service, was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of espionage, attempted treason and acting as an agent for a foreign intelligence service, the Federal Public Prosecutor General confirmed. The 80-year-old, who led the BND from 1998 to 2005, is accused of obtaining classified documents from his former chief of staff, Manfred D., and using them to benefit his private consulting business .
Investigators allege Manfred D. supplied Hanning with nearly 2,000 confidential documents over 12 years, some of which were weekly intelligence reports prepared for Germany’s federal government. These included sensitive information on Iran’s nuclear program, Russian military operations and the war in Ukraine, according to German media reports . Prosecutors also suspect Hanning prepared an analytical report for an Azerbaijani intelligence official, though Azerbaijan has denied any contact with him .
The arrest has triggered a special review by a Bundestag committee, with lawmakers expressing “greatest concern” over the allegations. European intelligence services are now assessing whether shared secrets were compromised, as partners including the U.S. CIA may reconsider intelligence-sharing with Germany . German media reported the foreign intelligence service involved was not Russian, with some sources pointing to a Chinese military intelligence officer as a key contact . Hanning’s house has been impounded amid a separate lawsuit in Latvia over his role on the board of the insolvent PNB Bank .
