The UK's foreign intelligence service MI6 and the UK's Government Communications Center (GCHQ) have launched an internal review following the detention of former German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) head August Hanning over concerns that their classified information or spies may have been compromised. This was reported by The Telegraph newspaper in a story with the headline “MI6 fears German intelligence chief has revealed British secrets.”
Hanning and another former high-ranking German intelligence official, Manfred D., were detained the day before, on October 6. The former head of intelligence is suspected of espionage, obtaining information constituting state secrets, attempted high treason and undercover activity in the interests of foreign intelligence. Manfred D. is being charged with aiding and abetting attempted treason and espionage. According to investigators, Hanning received “secret” documents through Manfred.
Some of the high-level information they contained came from partner intelligence services abroad, German security sources said. The Telegraph notes that this raises the possibility that British and American intelligence have been compromised. In addition, there are concerns that American and British agents and informants operating on the ground could be identified through the information provided.
MI6 and GCHQ, as well as several US agencies, are now reviewing all sensitive information they shared with European allies during the relevant period.
“There is certainly a major internal security review going on at MI6 right now, looking at information exchanged with a very trusted communications partner and looking at whether this compromises the activities and identities associated with MI6,” former MI6 official Matthew Dunne told The Telegraph.
However, he noted that he would be “very surprised” if this situation affected the services’ relationship with the BND. He explained that implementing “automatic checks and balances” in intelligence sharing is standard practice, including clearing information about sources.
According to investigators, Manfred D., at least until 2022, transferred classified German intelligence materials to Hanning for money. In total we can talk about about 2 thousand documents. According to the German television channel Tagesschau, among the materials transferred to Hanning were information about the Iranian nuclear program and the Russian army.
Investigators are looking into allegations that Hanning, 80, used the information on at least one occasion to prepare analytical material for a foreign intelligence service. According to Spiegel, the alleged customer was an Azerbaijani intelligence officer. However, it is unknown whether the analysis reached the recipient.
The investigation into Hanning began after searches of his home and offices in September 2025 in another case - the alleged kidnapping of the children of businesswoman Christina Block. When studying the seized materials, the police discovered an electronic media with secret German intelligence documents. After this, the materials were transferred to federal authorities, and in May 2026, the Prosecutor General's Office began an investigation into Hanning and the alleged source of information in the intelligence service.
