Former German intelligence chief arrested for espionage: he transmitted information to “an officer of a foreign service”

German federal prosecutors ordered the arrest of August Hanning, the former president of the Federal Intelligence Service (BND), and his former chief of staff, identified as Manfred D. The arrests took place on Tuesday following allegations that the two individuals engaged in espionage by transmitting sensitive information to an official from a foreign intelligence service. Hanning led the BND between 1998 and 2005. The investigation focuses on the unauthorized disclosure of state secrets and the misuse of sensitive intelligence data. Authorities have initiated formal proceedings against both suspects as the inquiry into the extent of the security breach continues.