A former head of Germany’s foreign intelligence service was taken into custody on Tuesday over suspicions of divulging state secrets to a foreign intelligence agency, according to the federal prosecutor’s office. August Hanning, who led the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) from 1998 to 2005, faces allegations of treasonous espionage, spying out state secrets, attempted treason, and espionage.
The 80-year-old Hanning was apprehended in Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen in southern Germany, while a former aide, known as Manfred D., was also arrested in Steinfurt, located in western Germany, on charges of aiding and abetting attempted treason and treasonous espionage. According to Ines Peterson, a spokesperson for the federal prosecutor’s office, there are suspicions that Hanning utilized classified information to create an analysis for a foreign intelligence service employee. Additionally, he is accused of sharing information after engaging in extensive discussions with an employee of another intelligence service.
No specific details were disclosed regarding the foreign entities the two men allegedly spied for or received classified information from. Both individuals had their premises searched on Tuesday. The prosecutor’s office stated that Manfred D., who served as Hanning’s chief of staff and later worked under several subsequent BND presidents from 2012 to 2026, had access to confidential information.
The statement revealed that in 2010, both suspects agreed to have Manfred D. consistently transmit valuable intelligence from the BND to Hanning in exchange for payment. The prosecutor’s office indicated that Manfred D. provided Hanning with roughly 2,000 documents, many of which contained classified information meant exclusively for internal purposes at the Federal Intelligence Service. Hanning reportedly used this information for private consulting work and once drafted an analysis for a foreign intelligence service officer based on classified intelligence provided by Manfred D.
The investigation into Hanning’s involvement in the abduction of businesswoman Christina Block’s children from her ex-husband led to the current arrests. Evidence discovered during a search of Hanning’s residence in connection with that case triggered the ongoing proceedings. Hanning and a retired official from the Hamburg State Criminal Police Office are suspected of accepting a contract from Block in 2022 to abduct her children while serving as executives of a security firm.
German opposition lawmaker Konstantin von Notz expressed dismay over the allegations against Hanning and urged a prompt and thorough investigation. Von Notz, a member of the Greens party and the German parliament committee overseeing the intelligence services, emphasized the need for swift action in light of the serious accusations. Efforts to obtain comment from the BND were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.