August Hanning, the former chief of Germany's Federal Intelligence Service (BND), has been arrested on serious charges of espionage and treason. The 80-year-old, who led the BND from December 1998 to November 2005, is accused of leaking state secrets to a foreign intelligence agency, according to Germany’s federal prosecutors.

The allegations suggest that Hanning engaged in a covert arrangement with a former office manager, identified only as Manfred D, in 2010, approximately five years after his tenure at the BND. Prosecutors claim that Hanning paid for access to classified documents, which he allegedly used to prepare analyses for foreign intelligence officers. The federal prosecutor’s office stated that Hanning is “strongly suspected of treasonous espionage, spying out state secrets, attempted treason, and espionage.”

Hanning was arrested in Bad Toelz-Wolfratshausen in southern Germany. Alongside him, Manfred D was also taken into custody for allegedly aiding Hanning in his espionage activities. Prosecutors assert that Manfred D provided Hanning with around 2,000 documents over several years, many of which contained sensitive information intended solely for internal BND use, particularly for high-level intelligence briefings.

The investigation into Hanning and Manfred D was reportedly triggered by a leak of an intelligence report meant for the German Chancellery. Following this, the homes of both suspects were searched, leading to the discovery of evidence that prompted their arrests. The prosecutor’s office has not disclosed the identity of the foreign country involved in the espionage activities, nor whether the classified information reached its intended destination.

In addition to the current charges, Hanning has faced scrutiny in the past. He was previously investigated for his involvement in a controversial case concerning the abduction of children from Hamburg businesswoman Christina Block. This investigation emerged from evidence found during a search of Hanning’s home related to the earlier case, which has now culminated in the latest arrests.

Both Hanning and Manfred D are expected to appear before a judge at the Federal Court of Justice as the investigation continues. The gravity of the charges against them highlights the ongoing concerns regarding intelligence security and the potential risks posed by former officials with access to classified information.