Ex-German Spy Chief Arrested in Espionage Scandal

Germany has arrested a former head of its Federal Intelligence Service (BND), August Hanning, on charges of espionage and treason. The Federal Prosecutor's Office accuses the 80-year-old of state treason, disclosure of state secrets, and spying for a foreign power. Also implicated is Manfred D., a high-ranking BND employee who allegedly led Hanning's staff and continued to supply him with secret documents for over a decade after Hanning's retirement, in exchange for payment. German media reports suggest Manfred D. provided Hanning with approximately two thousand documents, many containing sensitive internal intelligence, including materials on Iran's nuclear program and the Russian army.

Prosecutors claim Hanning used this information to prepare analytical reports for foreign intelligence services and maintained contact with a representative for several years, though the specific country or agency has not been identified. The investigation into Hanning began in September 2025 following searches at his home and offices related to a separate case involving the alleged kidnapping of children by entrepreneur Christine Block. During the examination of seized materials, police discovered an electronic storage device containing classified BND documents. These findings were subsequently handed over to federal authorities, leading to the Federal Prosecutor General's investigation in May 2026.

DW described the unfolding events as "the biggest spy scandal in Germany this century, unfolding in real time." Hanning led the BND from 1998 to 2005. After his tenure, he served as a state secretary in the German Interior Ministry and later worked as a consultant for security and business firms, including clients from Russia, China, and Israel.