Spionage: Spionageverdacht: Ex-BND-Präsident Hanning festgenommen

In a historic case for the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND), former President August Hanning (80) was arrested in the Kreis Steinfurt of North Rhine-Westphalia on suspicion of espionage. The arrest occurred simultaneously with that of his former office director, Manfred D., in the German state of Bavaria, according to the General Prosecutor in Karlsruhe.

Hanning is suspected of attempting to betray his country and of engaging in secret service agent activity, while Manfred D. is accused of aiding and abetting. The charges are not related to Russia, according to sources from WDR, NDR, and Süddeutsche Zeitung. Neither Hanning nor Manfred D. will be named as being involved with any foreign service or country.

The suspects are believed to have been working with business partners from Central Asia, according to the Deutsche Presse-Agentur. Manfred D. provided Hanning with nearly 2,000 documents between June 2022 and June 2022, many of which were classified and intended for internal BND use. Hanning served as BND President from December 1998 to November 2005, while Manfred D. was his office director.

Hanning then served as a federal minister's assistant and later as a security advisor after leaving the federal government. Manfred D. worked as a security advisor for several BND presidents between March 2012 and March 2026. Both men are suspected of having had access to confidential information and using it for their own gain in their consulting work.

Hanning allegedly obtained valuable BND insights from 2010 onwards for his consulting business. It is suspected that Hanning had been in contact with an employee of another intelligence agency and provided them with political information, some of which originated from the material provided by Manfred D. Hanning had a consulting role as a political advisor after his time at the BND and in the federal government.

The company Pluteos AG, where he now operates as president of the board, markets him as a "renowned civil servant" and former BND president. The company claims to be a group of world-class intelligence and security experts who provide independent consulting, support, and integration under Switzerland's uncompromising quality standards and their extensive network.

The current espionage allegations against Hanning are part of the larger Block case, which began with a search in Hamburg in September 2025. The case also involves a custody dispute over Christina Block's two children, who were allegedly taken from Germany to Denmark in 2023/24 by their mother in a failed kidnapping attempt. Hanning and a retired Hamburg police official were initially investigated in connection with the 2022 incident, but the charges were denied by Hanning through his lawyer.

Newly appointed BND President Martin Jäger faces a significant test with the Hanning case, as the BND had already conducted extensive internal investigations upon learning of a possible leak in September 2025.