The week of espionage and treason.

The former head of Germany’s foreign intelligence agency, August Hanning, has been arrested on charges of espionage and treason. According to the federal prosecutors, Hanning allegedly obtained classified documents through his former assistant, Manfred D., who worked at the BND until March this year. Both men were taken into custody early Monday morning. Prosecutors claim Hanning used these sensitive materials for commercial purposes, including providing analysis to an employee of a foreign intelligence service. Hanning served as director of the BND from 1998 to 2005 and later worked as a consultant. During his tenure, he held several high-ranking positions within the German government, including as a state secretary in the Federal Ministry of the Interior under Chancellor Angela Merkel. After retiring from public service, he founded his own consulting firm, Hanning Consult, with his wife in 2010. His business activities reportedly extended to countries such as Kazakhstan, Russia, and China. According to investigators, Manfred D. handed over up to 2,000 classified documents to Hanning between 2010 and June 2022. These documents were intended solely for internal use within the BND and formed the basis for weekly briefings to the federal government. Some of the information reportedly pertained to topics such as Iran's nuclear program and the Russian military. Manfred D. had previously worked as a senior advisor to future BND directors and remained employed in that capacity until March 2026. He is currently retired. The investigation into Hanning began after police searched premises in Hamburg in September 2025 during a separate case involving an alleged kidnapping. During the search, officers discovered evidence linking Hanning to the current espionage case. Hanning’s arrest comes amid growing concerns about the security of Germany’s intelligence services. The ongoing trial of another former BND official, which began in December 2023, also involves allegations of treason. Questions remain about how Hanning managed to access such sensitive information and whether he had additional sources within other security agencies. Hanning’s connections to Azerbaijan have drawn particular attention. According to media reports, he visited Baku in 2003 and met with the country’s minister for national security, General Namiq Abbasov. Discussions reportedly focused on counter-terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, illegal migration, and cross-border organized crime. At the time, Azerbaijan was dealing with tensions along its northern border with Russia, where Chechen separatists were fighting against Moscow. In 2009, the Azerbaijani minister for disaster management, Kemaladdin Heydarov, visited Berlin and signed a cooperation agreement with Hanning, who was then serving as a state secretary in the Federal Ministry of the Interior. Heydarov was one of the wealthiest and most powerful figures in Azerbaijan. His son, Tale Heydarov, led the lobbying organization The European Azerbaijan Society (TEAS), which hosted events in Berlin and elsewhere. Tale Heydarov attended meetings with the Young Union, partly due to his contacts with the late politician Philipp Mißfelder. Azerbaijan became embroiled in a corruption scandal known as “caviar diplomacy” in the early 2010s, which implicated several German politicians. Most recently, former MP Axel Fischer was sentenced earlier this year. As a result, transparency rules for members of parliament have been strengthened. Hanning’s legal team denies the allegations, stating that their client is being wrongly pursued. However, the case has raised serious questions about the handling of classified information within the BND and the potential risks posed by former officials engaging in private consultancy work. Advocacy groups have called for stricter regulations, including a lifetime ban on former officials working in security-related roles. The case has also reignited debates about the proposed reform of Germany’s intelligence services. Critics argue that the reforms would weaken parliamentary oversight. The interior committee is set to discuss the issue again next week, with Hans-Georg Maaßen, a former head of the domestic intelligence agency, invited to participate. The investigation into Hanning is still in its early stages, and more details are likely to emerge as the case progresses. The extent of his involvement with foreign powers and the potential impact on Germany’s national security remain unclear.