Former German Intelligence Chief August Hanning arrested on alleged treason and espionage charges

Hanning, who served as President of the BND from December 1998 to November 2005 and later as State Secretary at the Federal Ministry of the Interior between December 2005 and November 2009, is “strongly suspected of treasonous espionage, spying out state secrets, attempted treason, and espionage.”

Manfred D, who served as Hanning’s chief of staff at the BND and parliamentary assistant at the Interior Ministry before resuming duties as chief of staff for several subsequent BND presidents from March 2012 to March 2026, is charged with “aiding and abetting attempted treason and treasonous espionage.”

Investigators revealed that Hanning utilised the classified material to enhance his private consultancy services. Prosecutors stated that on one occasion, Hanning “used classified intelligence provided by Manfred D. to draft an analysis for an officer of a foreign intelligence service,” though it remains undetermined if the report reached its destination. Furthermore, Hanning was “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.”

The wide-ranging probe originated after a search of Hanning’s property by Hamburg prosecutors in September 2025 during an investigation involving German businesswoman Christina Block and alleged leaks from the Chancellery.

Euronews, citing reports by the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung, along with public broadcasters WDR and NDR, previously pointed to evidence uncovered during those proceedings regarding the unauthorised handling of sensitive state documents.

The Federal Prosecutor’s Office officially took over the investigation in early May 2026, conducting the probe alongside the BND and the Federal Criminal Police Office. Both suspects were brought before the Investigating Judge at the Federal Court of Justice to review the charges and determine pre-trial detention. (ANI)

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