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Former German spy chief arrested for espionage and treason
Prosecutors say he obtained about 2,000 classified BND documents and used some in private consulting work, while investigators probe possible foreign ties.
On Tuesday, German federal prosecutors arrested former Federal Intelligence Service president August Hanning and an aide identified as Manfred in Bad Toelz-Wolfratshausen on suspicion of espionage, treason, and obtaining classified information.
Prosecutors allege Hanning bought secret BND intelligence reports intended for the German Chancellery to leverage for his private consulting activities, following discovery of an alleged leak of sensitive materials.
Hanning served as president of the Federal Intelligence Service from Dec. 1998 to Nov. 2005, a tenure marked by significant restructuring within Germany's intelligence apparatus.
Authorities have not publicly disclosed which foreign country or service may be involved, while the BND and Germany's federal prosecutor did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Further details are expected as the investigation develops, with the case demonstrating a potential security breach within Germany's intelligence oversight at the highest levels.
August Hanning, one of the former chiefs of the BND, the German Federal Intelligence Service, is accused of "a high treason attempt" and of espionage "on behalf of an intelligence service.