Former German Spy Chief Detained in Espionage Case as Investigators Examine Reported Azerbaijan Link

A former head of Germany’s foreign intelligence service has been placed in pretrial detention in an espionage case involving thousands of sensitive documents, as German media report investigators are examining a possible connection to Azerbaijan.

August Hanning, 80, who led the Federal Intelligence Service, or BND, from 1998 to 2005, was arrested. Germany’s Federal Court of Justice issued a formal arrest warrant Wednesday, allowing authorities to keep him in custody as the investigation continues.

Federal prosecutors say Hanning is suspected of treasonous espionage, obtaining state secrets, attempted treason and intelligence activity on behalf of foreign services.

Prosecutors have not identified the countries or intelligence agencies allegedly involved.

Der Spiegel reported that investigators are pursuing a possible Azerbaijani connection and that Hanning had been in contact with an Azerbaijani intelligence operative. The magazine reported that an analysis Hanning allegedly prepared using confidential German intelligence was intended for the Azerbaijani contact.

German prosecutors have not confirmed that account or publicly linked Azerbaijan to the case. The federal prosecutor’s office declined to comment to Reuters on Der Spiegel’s reporting.

Azerbaijan denied any involvement Wednesday. The country’s Media and Broadcasting Council called the allegations linking Azerbaijani intelligence to the case “groundless disinformation” and accused those behind the report of trying to damage relations between Azerbaijan and Germany.

A senior Azerbaijani official also told Reuters that Baku contacted German intelligence through official channels and was told the investigation was not connected to Azerbaijani intelligence.

The case centers on Hanning’s relationship with his former chief of staff, identified under German privacy rules as Manfred D., who was also arrested Tuesday and placed in pretrial detention.

Manfred D. remained at the BND under several of Hanning’s successors and retired only in March, potentially giving him access to sensitive intelligence long after Hanning left the agency.

Prosecutors allege the two men reached an arrangement in 2010 under which Manfred D. provided confidential BND material to Hanning in exchange for money. Investigators believe about 2,000 documents were transferred through June 2022, some of them classified.

By then, Hanning had moved into private consulting. Prosecutors suspect he used information obtained from his former colleague for his business activities.

In one case, Hanning allegedly used classified material to prepare an analysis for an employee of a foreign intelligence service. Authorities say they have not determined whether the analysis ever reached its intended recipient.

In another case, prosecutors suspect Hanning provided political information over several years to a representative of a separate foreign intelligence service. Neither service has been publicly identified.

Hanning’s lawyer has rejected the central allegations against him. He acknowledged that Hanning possessed confidential documents but denied that he passed information to foreign actors in a way that harmed Germany or did so for payment.

The investigation has shaken Germany’s intelligence establishment because of Hanning’s former position and the amount of material allegedly removed from the BND. It has also raised concerns in Berlin that the case could undermine the confidence of foreign intelligence agencies that share sensitive information with Germany.

Hanning’s arrest comes as Germany is seeking to strengthen its intelligence services and give them broader powers to respond to growing security threats. The case is also fueling debate over whether former senior intelligence officials should face tighter restrictions after leaving government service.

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