Germany’s former foreign intelligence chief August Hanning was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of treasonous espionage and other offenses in an investigation involving the alleged transfer of roughly 2,000 intelligence documents, federal prosecutors said.
Hanning, 80, headed Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service, or BND, the country’s counterpart to Israel’s Mossad, from December 1998 until November 2005. Prosecutors said he is strongly suspected of treasonous espionage, spying out state secrets, attempted treason and espionage.
Former German foreign intelligence chief
(Photo: AFP)
A former aide, identified only as Manfred D. under German privacy rules, was also arrested Tuesday. Hanning was detained in the Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen district in southern Germany, while Manfred D. was arrested in Steinfurt in western Germany.
Prosecutors said Manfred D. had served as Hanning’s chief of staff and later worked as chief of staff for several subsequent BND presidents from March 2012 until March 2026, giving him access to confidential information.
According to the investigation, the two men agreed in spring 2010 that Manfred D. would continuously provide Hanning with valuable BND intelligence in exchange for payment. Prosecutors said he eventually supplied Hanning with approximately 2,000 documents, many containing classified information intended exclusively for internal BND use, including executive intelligence briefings.
Hanning allegedly used the material in his private consulting activities after leaving the intelligence service. Prosecutors said that on one occasion he used classified information supplied by Manfred D. to prepare an analysis for an officer of a foreign intelligence service. They did not identify the country involved and said it remains unclear whether the material reached its intended recipient.
Bild reported additional details surrounding the investigation, saying the case initially grew out of suspicions that Hanning was involved in an attempted kidnapping of the children of German heiress Christina Block, an affair in which former Mossad operatives were also reportedly involved.
According to Bild, investigators subsequently uncovered indications that information had been leaking from the BND. A search of Hanning’s home last year reportedly turned up a storage device containing classified material.
Authorities are also examining whether Hanning passed intelligence to China or Russia, countries with which Bild said he maintained direct contacts. The newspaper reported that highly sensitive documents concerning Iran’s nuclear program and the Russian military were among the materials found in his possession.
Manfred D. is suspected of aiding and abetting attempted treason and treasonous espionage.
Authorities searched premises linked to both men on Tuesday as the investigation continued.