The arrest of the former German intelligence chief has scared Britain

The UK's foreign intelligence service, MI6, has launched an internal investigation following the arrest of the former head of the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND), August Hanning. MI6 fears its agents and sensitive data have been compromised, The Telegraph reports.

“British intelligence agencies are investigating whether their secret information was exposed or whether their spies were in danger in the biggest spy scandal in recent German history,” the publication said.

German security sources are alleged to have reported that some of the classified information the ex-BND chief worked with came from foreign intelligence partners. This suggests that British and American intelligence services were also compromised, the publication notes.

Following Hanning's arrest, MI6, the UK's Government Communications Center (GCHQ), and a number of US departments are reported to have launched a systematic internal review of all sensitive information shared with European allies during the relevant period.