German ex-spy chief arrested for suspected espionage, treason
A former German spy chief was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of espionage and treason, an embarrassing case at a time when the country is seeking to broaden the powers of its intelligence agencies. August Hanning, who ran Germany's BND foreign intelligence agency from 1998 to 2005, is accused of espionage, treason and working for foreign intelligence services, federal prosecutors said. FRANCE 24's…
Former German spy chief August Hanning was arrested for treason on Tuesday, accused of passing sensitive information to foreign powers, according to federal prosecutors. The 80-year-old had led Germany's BND foreign intelligence agency from 1998 to 2005. Hanning is alleged to have had extensive links to Israeli intelligence and was investigating for his role in a high-profile child custody case involving Christina Block.
In 2024, Hanning approached a former Shin Bet security service chief about kidnapping Block's two children from her ex-husband in Denmark. Hanning and a retired police officer were also accused of accepting a commission of over $112,000 in exchange for the kidnapping. Hanning's arrest has raised questions about who he passed intelligence to and the integrity of Germany's intelligence services.
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