Prosecutors say that August Hanning, whose mandate ended in 2005, purchased secret information from a former employee of the BND foreign intelligence agency, which he intended to resell to foreign actors as part of his consulting activities.
The former head of the German foreign intelligence service (BND), August Hanning, has been arrested on suspicion of espionage. Hanning held the position of agency chief between 1998 and 2005.
According to information from the daily Süddeutsche Zeitung, an informant allegedly provided Hanning with classified documents, which were then intended to reach foreign actors.
According to information provided by public channels WDR, NDR and the Süddeutsche Zeitung daily, the federal attorney general is investigating Hanning for the disclosure of state secrets, attempted state treason, and activity as an agent of the secret services.
Another long-standing employee of the service is under investigation for complicity in an attempt at state treason and complicity in espionage.
Security analysis for at least one foreign secret service
According to information from the German press, quoted by the public channel’s website Tagesschau24, investigators from the Federal Office of Criminal Police (BKA) arrested Hanning on Tuesday, at dawn, at his residence in Nordwalde, near Münster.
In Bavaria, officers have arrested another former high-ranking employee of the BND: Manfred D., the former chief of staff to Hanning, who worked within the BND until the spring of 2026.
It is assumed that Manfred D. would have provided Hanning, at least until 2022, with strictly confidential information from the service, in exchange for a sum of money.
Details, HERE