Germany Arrests Ex-Spy Chief Over Alleged State Secrets Leak

Germany has arrested former foreign intelligence chief August Hanning on suspicion of espionage, treason and obtaining state secrets for foreign intelligence services.

Hanning, 80, who led the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) from 1998 to 2005, was arrested on Tuesday, the Federal Prosecutor’s Office said.

Prosecutors allege that Hanning paid a former BND office manager, identified as Manfred D., for confidential intelligence and used some of it to prepare an analysis for an officer from a foreign intelligence service.

Manfred D., who served as office manager to successive BND presidents until March 2026, was arrested on suspicion of aiding attempted treason and treasonous espionage.

Prosecutors suspect he supplied about 2,000 documents over several years, including classified BND material for internal use and intelligence briefings prepared for Germany’s Chancellery.

The documents reportedly contained information about Iran’s nuclear programme and the Russian military. Some were also classified by intelligence agencies in allied countries, according to German media reports.

Prosecutors said Hanning also maintained contact with a representative of another foreign intelligence service and allegedly passed political information to that person over several years.

The service’s identity has not been disclosed. Prosecutors said it was unclear whether the analysis prepared by Hanning reached its intended recipient.

Both men were expected to appear before a judge at Germany’s Federal Court of Justice.

The BND has opened an internal investigation. Its president, Martin Jaeger, said the agency began extensive inquiries after suspicions emerged and stressed that internal security could not be compromised.

Hanning has not publicly responded to the allegations, while the Chancellery declined to comment, Reuters reported.