Anna Hartz
German authorities have arrested former Federal Intelligence Service chief August Hanning on suspicion of espionage and treason.
Prosecutors accuse Hanning of using classified information in contacts with foreign intelligence services.
Received money in return
Hanning and a former BND employee, identified as Manfred D., were detained on October 6 under arrest warrants issued by Germany’s Federal Court of Justice, reports United24Media. Investigators also searched properties linked to the two men in Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia and Berlin.
According to the Federal Prosecutor’s Office, Manfred D. allegedly supplied Hanning with around 2,000 BND documents over several years. Prosecutors say he received money in return.
Many of the documents contained classified information meant only for internal use by Germany’s intelligence service. Some had reportedly been prepared for briefings involving senior German government officials.
Investigators accuse Hanning of using some of the material in his private consulting work. In one case, prosecutors say he used classified intelligence to prepare an analysis for an officer working for a foreign intelligence service.
Authorities have not said which foreign country was involved. They have also not confirmed whether the information was eventually passed to the intended recipient.
Foreign contacts under investigation
Prosecutors are also investigating Hanning’s contacts with another foreign intelligence service. They allege that he maintained close contact with one of its representatives for several years and passed on political information. Some of that information was reportedly based on material obtained from Manfred D.
Hanning led the BND, Germany’s foreign intelligence agency, from 1998 to 2005. The investigation reportedly began after classified BND documents were discovered on an electronic storage device during a separate investigation in 2025.
The arrest comes just one day after current BND chief Martin Jäger warned that Germany has become an increasingly important target for foreign intelligence operations, sabotage and political interference.
Speaking before the Bundestag on October 5, Jäger said Russia was waging an undeclared “shadow war” against Germany. He warned that Moscow could make further attempts to intimidate the country and interfere in its political affairs.
The latest case puts fresh attention on the security of Germany’s intelligence information. It also raises questions about how classified material may have been handled after it left official channels.
The investigation is ongoing, and prosecutors have not yet disclosed the full details of the alleged foreign intelligence connections.
