The former head of Germany’s intelligence services, August Hanning, was arrested on charges of treason and espionage on behalf of foreign intelligence services

The former director of Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service (BND), August Hanning, has been arrested on suspicion of espionage, treason, and obtaining classified information for a foreign power. Prosecutors allege that he used secret data to draft an analysis intended for a foreign intelligence service and that he maintained contact with another intelligence service.

In the same case, Manfred D., a former BND employee, was also arrested and accused of having provided Hanning with approximately 2,000 classified documents in exchange for payments. The investigation began with a separate case concerning the kidnapping of children, in which a device containing sensitive BND documents was reportedly discovered. The case once again highlights the vulnerabilities of the German service, following another treason case opened in 2023.