BND scandal: August Hanning under suspicion of espionage - Podcast Firewall
After his BND career, August Hanning is said to have obtained more than 2,000 secret documents and passed on information. He denies the allegations.
Quick Look
- Former BND President August Hanning is being investigated on suspicion of spying on state secrets and attempted treason.
- He is said to have owned over 2,000 secret documents and passed on information.
- Hanning denies the allegations through his lawyer.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
For years, August Hanning was one of Germany's top secret guards and headed the Federal Intelligence Service (BND).
After the end of his BND career, August Hanning is said to have illegally obtained more than 2,000 secret documents and passed on information from them. Now he is accused of spying on state secrets and even attempted treason. August Hanning denies the allegations.
Has the man who was one of Germany's top secret keepers for years turned traitor?
SPIEGEL reporter Matthias Gebauer knows Hanning from his time as BND president and has met him again and again since then. There have been rumors for a long time because Hanning had silver-plated his old contacts, Gebauer says in the podcast. “It had a bad aftertaste even before the arrest.”
Hanning's lawyer said on Wednesday: "My client is being unfairly persecuted. It is true that he was in possession of confidential documents. However, the accusation that he passed on the information contained therein to the detriment of the Federal Republic of Germany - let alone for a fee - is incorrect.
You can hear what warning signs there were in the case and how August Hanning was convicted in this episode of Firewall:
Open Questions
- What specific information was shared?
- Who were the documents sent to?