Ankara:Germany's former foreign intelligence chief, August Hanning, was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of treason and espionage, potentially marking one of the country's most significant spy scandals. Hanning, who led the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) from 1998 to 2005, is suspected of acquiring state secrets and utilizing them in his consulting work and interactions with foreign intelligence officers, according to federal prosecutors.
According to Anadolu Agency, police also arrested a second suspect, identified only as Manfred D., on charges of aiding attempted treason and espionage. Authorities conducted searches of homes and offices in Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Berlin. Manfred D. served as Hanning's chief of staff during his tenure at the BND, and it is believed they agreed in 2010 that Manfred D. would regularly supply Hanning with valuable BND intelligence for payment.
Prosecutors allege that from March 2012 to March 2026, Manfred D. served under several later BND presidents, maintaining access to confidential information. He is accused of providing Hanning with approximately 2,000 documents, many classified, over the years. These documents, intended for internal use, were prepared for executive briefings and meetings at the Federal Chancellery involving senior officials from federal ministries and Germany's security agencies.
In one instance, Hanning allegedly used classified intelligence from Manfred D. to draft an analysis for a foreign intelligence officer. However, it is unclear if the material reached its intended recipient. Hanning was reportedly in prolonged contact with a representative from another foreign intelligence service, to whom he passed political information based on Manfred D.'s material. Prosecutors have not disclosed the names of these foreign services.
Reports from public broadcasters WDR and NDR and the Suddeutsche Zeitung indicate that the foreign service involved was not Russian, although the documents allegedly included material on the Russian army and other classified subjects. The cache reportedly also contained information on Iran's nuclear program and documents from foreign partner services. Officials warned that such leaks could severely damage allied services' trust in the BND.
The case emerged following a search of Hanning's premises by Hamburg prosecutors in September 2025. This was part of a separate investigation into Christina Block, a businesswoman on trial for allegedly orchestrating the abduction of her children from Denmark. During the search, several BND documents were discovered, prompting suspicions that led to the current investigation now managed by the Federal Prosecutor's Office.