Germany Arrests Ex-Spy Chief August Hanning Over Espionage and Treason
Germany Arrests Ex-Spy Chief August Hanning Over Espionage and Treason
Germany arrested former foreign intelligence chief August Hanning on Tuesday on suspicion of treason and espionage, accusing the 80-year-old of passing state secrets to foreign intelligence services.
Federal prosecutors said Hanning, who led the Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND) from 1998 to 2005, was “strongly suspected of treasonous espionage, spying out state secrets, attempted treason, and espionage.” A former aide, identified only as Manfred D., was arrested the same day on charges of aiding and abetting attempted treason and treasonous espionage.
How August Hanning allegedly obtained the files
Prosecutors say the arrangement began in the spring of 2010, five years after Hanning left the BND. Manfred D., who served as Hanning’s chief of staff and then as chief of staff to several subsequent BND presidents from 2012 to 2026, allegedly agreed to funnel classified material to his former boss in exchange for payment.
Over the years, Manfred D. handed Hanning about 2,000 documents, many of them classified and meant strictly for internal BND use, particularly for executive intelligence briefings. The most recent files changed hands in June 2022. German broadcasters NDR and SWR and the Süddeutsche Zeitung reported that the material included information on Iran’s nuclear programme and the Russian army, some of it supplied by partner intelligence agencies abroad.
Hanning mainly used the material in his private consulting work, prosecutors said. But on at least one occasion he allegedly used the classified intelligence to draft an analysis for an officer of a foreign intelligence service. Prosecutors did not name the service, and it remains unclear whether the analysis ever reached its recipient. The German outlets reported that Russia had been ruled out as the recipient.
Hanning is also accused of staying in close contact for years with a representative of another foreign intelligence service, passing on political information partly based on the material supplied by Manfred D. Investigators searched the homes and offices of both men on Tuesday in Berlin, Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia.
A first for the BND, and a political shock
The arrest marks the first time a former BND chief has been detained, and it lands at an awkward moment for Berlin. Just last month the government approved a major overhaul of the intelligence services, granting them broader powers for covert operations, with parliament expected to pass the reforms early next year.
The BND has faced sharp criticism in recent years, including for failing to predict Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Several BND employees, some of them senior, have been detained in recent years on suspicion of passing classified information to foreign powers, including Russia.
Parliament’s intelligence oversight committee reacted swiftly. Its chairman, Marc Henrichmann, told AFP that Germany would “not tolerate the betrayal of secrets,” adding: “Whoever allies themselves with the enemies of our liberal democracy will be found out.” Treason carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment in Germany.
Hanning is due to appear before a judge on Wednesday. His lawyer could not immediately be reached for comment.
Frequently asked questions
Who is August Hanning?
August Hanning, 80, led Germany’s foreign intelligence service, the BND, from 1998 to 2005. After leaving the agency he worked as a private consultant in security and business.
What exactly is he accused of?
Federal prosecutors suspect him of treasonous espionage, spying out state secrets, attempted treason and espionage. They allege he paid a former aide for about 2,000 classified documents and used some of the material in dealings with foreign intelligence services.
What happens next?
Both men face court appearances this week. If prosecutors build a full case, Hanning could face trial on charges that carry up to life imprisonment. The scandal is also likely to fuel debate in parliament over the pending intelligence reforms.
