German authorities have arrested former Federal Intelligence Service (BND) chief August Hanning on suspicion of treasonous espionage, obtaining state secrets and passing sensitive information to foreign intelligence services.
Hanning, 80, who headed Germany’s foreign intelligence agency from 1998 to 2005, was arrested on Tuesday, October 6, following an investigation by the Federal Prosecutor’s Office.
Prosecutors said Hanning is strongly suspected of treasonous espionage, spying out state secrets, attempted treason and acting as an agent for a foreign intelligence service. A former BND official identified as Manfred D. was also arrested on suspicion of aiding and abetting attempted treason and treasonous espionage.
According to prosecutors, Hanning and Manfred D. allegedly established an arrangement in 2010 under which the former BND official supplied Hanning with confidential intelligence in exchange for payment.
Investigators believe Manfred D. provided approximately 2,000 documents over several years. The material allegedly included classified BND documents intended for internal use as well as intelligence briefings prepared for senior German government and security officials.
Prosecutors said Hanning subsequently used some of the information in his private consulting activities. In one instance, he allegedly used classified intelligence supplied by Manfred D. to prepare an analysis for an officer of a foreign intelligence service.
It remains unclear whether that analysis ultimately reached the intended recipient.
Hanning is also accused of maintaining contact over several years with a representative of another foreign intelligence service and passing political information to that person, some of it allegedly based on material obtained from the BND.
German prosecutors have not publicly identified the foreign intelligence services allegedly involved. Reuters, citing information from the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung, reported that the case does not involve Russia.
The investigation reportedly began after authorities discovered suspicious material during a separate investigation. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office said a search of premises linked to Hanning in September 2025, conducted in connection with an investigation in Hamburg, produced evidence that subsequently led to the espionage inquiry.
The federal prosecutors took over the investigation in May 2026 and have since worked with the BND and Germany’s Federal Criminal Police Office.
Authorities also searched properties connected to the two suspects in several locations, including Berlin, as part of Tuesday’s operation.
Hanning’s alleged activities are particularly significant because of his former position at the BND. He led Germany’s foreign intelligence service for seven years before becoming a state secretary at the Federal Interior Ministry, a position he held until 2009.
The BND said it launched an internal investigation as soon as suspicions surrounding the case emerged. Its current president, Martin Jaeger, said there could be no compromise when it comes to protecting the agency’s internal security.
The former intelligence chief has not publicly commented on the allegations.
Following their arrests, Hanning and Manfred D. were due to appear before an investigating judge at Germany’s Federal Court of Justice, who will formally inform them of the allegations and determine whether they should remain in pre-trial detention.
The case has renewed attention on Germany’s history of espionage scandals and the security risks associated with access to classified information. It also raises questions about the handling of sensitive intelligence by former officials who continue to work in private consulting and security-related fields.
However, the allegations against Hanning have not been established in court. The investigation remains