Former German intelligence chief arrested in espionage case reportedly linked to Azerbaijan

BERLIN— Former German intelligence chief August Hanning has been formally arrested on suspicion of espionage and attempted treason, in a major security scandal that German media reports have linked to Azerbaijan.

Hanning, 80, headed Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service (BND) from 1998 to 2005. German prosecutors say he later obtained roughly 2,000 internal BND documents from his former chief of staff, Manfred D., who allegedly supplied the material over a period beginning in 2010 in exchange for payment. Manfred D., who continued serving senior BND officials until his retirement in March 2026, has also been arrested.

Prosecutors allege Hanning used classified intelligence in his private consulting work and, in at least one case, prepared a security analysis for an officer of a foreign intelligence service. German authorities have not publicly identified that service or country.

However, Der Spiegel reported that investigators are examining whether the intended recipient was an Azerbaijani intelligence operative. The magazine said Hanning had documented contacts with Azerbaijani representatives and served on the board of the German-Azerbaijani Forum, an organization promoting political and economic relations between Germany and Azerbaijan. A 2025 announcement from the forum listed Hanning among its board members.

Some of the material allegedly obtained from the BND included intelligence concerning Iran’s nuclear program, the Russian military and information provided to Germany by allied intelligence agencies, raising concerns about possible damage to Germany’s relationships with foreign security partners.

Azerbaijan has rejected the reports linking its intelligence services to the case, calling them “disinformation” aimed at damaging German-Azerbaijani relations. German prosecutors have so far declined to confirm the reported Azerbaijani connection.