It Has Come To Light Which Country The Arrested Former Head Of German Intelligence May Have Been Working For

• 7.10.2026, 12:13

He could face up to ten years in prison.

The former head of Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service (BND) August Hanning, who was was detained on suspicion of espionage and attempted treason, may have been preparing an analytical report for an Azerbaijani intelligence officer. This was reported by Der Spiegel. Hanning’s attorney declined to comment on the charges. He could face up to ten years in prison.

According to investigators, he used classified BND documents to work on the report, which he received through the former head of his office Manfred D. The latter was also detained on the same day. Investigators believe that, in exchange for money, he passed on about 2,000 documents to Hanning, some of which were classified. Some of the documents were intended for closed-door briefings between the German chancellor and the heads of German intelligence agencies. The most recent of the discovered documents are dated June 2022.

The Federal Prosecutor’s Office reported yesterday that one of the documents prepared by Hanning was intended for a foreign intelligence officer, but did not name the country. Hanning’s ties to Azerbaijan were already known. He had been a member of the board of the German-Azerbaijani Forum since at least July 2025. Investigators believe that after leaving government service, he illegally obtained classified BND materials for several years and passed them on to third parties. The chair of the parliamentary committee overseeing the intelligence services , Mark Heinrichmann , stated that leaks of classified information threaten national security.