Germany's former top spy is arrested for 'attempted treason and espionage for a foreign intelligence service'

Published: 05:55 EDT, 6 October 2026 | Updated: 06:05 EDT, 6 October 2026 Germany's former top spy has been arrested over espionage allegations and is accused of seeking to pass sensitive information to overseas intelligence services.August Hanning, who ran Germany's BND intelligence agency between 1998 and 2005, is suspected of charges including 'attempted treason' and 'espionage'.Mr Hanning's former chief of staff, partially named as Manfred D., was also arrested on suspicion of 'aiding and abetting attempted treason and treasonous espionage'.Premises linked to both men are being searched in several locations including Berlin.Prosecutors said Manfred D. also served as the chief of staff for Mr Hanning's successors between 2012 and 2026. They allege that he used this role to gain access to confidential information which he then passed on to Mr Hanning 'in exchange for remuneration'. August Hanning, the former chief of Germany's BND intelligence agency, was arrested on suspicion of seeking to pass sensitive information to overseas intelligence servicesThis includes around 2,000 documents that contained top secret material. Prosecutors said: 'The current findings suggest that, over the years, Manfred D. provided Hanning with approximately 2,000 documents, many of which contained classified information to be used exclusively by the Federal Intelligence Service for internal purposes.'They further allege that 'on one occasion, Hanning used classified intelligence... to draft an analysis for an officer of a foreign intelligence service', although it is not clear if 'the material reached the intended recipient'.Mr Hanning is also accused of being 'in close contact with a representative of another foreign intelligence service, to whom he passed on political information, partially based on material provided by Manfred D., for several years'.