Examination of cooperation: US services warned BND after Hanning's arrest

Exclusive examination of cooperation US services warned BND after Hanning's arrest As of: October 30, 2026 • 11:00 a.m

After the arrest of ex-BND boss August Hanning, the BND received an explosive warning from the USA, according to research by WDR, NDR and SZ: The cooperation is being put to the test. This caused great excitement.

When secret services work together, it is not always easy to determine how well things are going between the partners: you usually don't know what you won't get. The Federal Intelligence Service (BND) recently became very concerned that the USA, as Germany's most important secret service partner, could turn off the information tap - as a consequence of what is probably the biggest BND affair to date involving the agency's former president, August Hanning.

The new suspected case of treason hits the BND at the worst possible time. more

The ex-BND chief and busy security advisor was arrested around three weeks ago, as was his former office manager Manfred D. The Federal Prosecutor General accuses Hanning of having obtained sensitive documents from the service over the course of around twelve years with the help of the long-time BND official D. In at least one case, Hanning is said to have attempted to pass on secret information to foreign bodies.

The suspicion in the spectacular case is heavy: attempted treason, spying on state secrets, treasonous spying and secret service agent activity. Hanning's defense attorney rejects the allegations. Manfred D.'s lawyer did not want to comment.

According to research by WDR, NDR and Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ), the behind-the-scenes affair apparently resulted in a sharp reaction from Americans. According to this, the BND received a warning from the US secret services a few days after Hanning's arrest: Although the BND is an important partner, the previous cooperation with the service is still being examined, according to information from government circles. However, in urgent cases, such as possible terrorist attacks, the USA wanted to continue to provide information.

The espionage allegations against ex-BND boss Hanning have “shaken the foundations,” said the chairman of the parliamentary control committee, Henrichmann, in the tagesthemen interview. more

The mere announcement caused great excitement in the BND. Less information from the US services - that would be a disaster in the current situation. German security authorities have been dependent on powerful US partners for decades; a cessation of the transatlantic flow of information could not be compensated for.

The warning from the US representatives was spread in the BND and caused great uncertainty, according to Berlin government circles. Accordingly, managers are said to have been instructed to immediately report changes in exchanges with the USA.

It is now said in Berlin that there is no sign of any restrictions in cooperation with the US secret services. “The cooperation is in the normal state of cooperation,” said security circles. “Only a few work discussions have been postponed.” These have now been rescheduled.

However, several employees report to WDR, NDR and SZ that, in their opinion, the amount of information transmitted and its quality have declined - to a greater extent than, for example, after the alleged betrayal case involving Carsten L. The ex-BND department head was arrested at the end of 2022 because he is said to have sold secrets to Russia. He rejects that.

When asked, a spokesman for the BND did not want to comment on cooperation with the US secret services. The US Embassy also did not provide any information.

Other German security authorities have so far seen no cause for concern. At the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), cooperation with US partner services continues as before, it is said. The exchange of intelligence between the US military, the US military intelligence service DIA and the Bundeswehr should also remain unchanged.

Security politicians from the government and opposition are calling for a comprehensive investigation into the case. more

The full extent of the August Hanning affair is still not foreseeable. In particular, investigators are concerned with the question of whether the ex-BND chief could have passed on secret information under the guise of commercial security advice to many more foreign agents than previously known.

According to security circles, the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) has now seized hundreds of additional documents from Hanning that need to be evaluated. Investigators are currently interviewing witnesses. An internal BND investigation should also clarify how the alleged case of treason came about.

According to information from WDR, NDR and SZ, one of the questions being investigated is why the BND had approved Hanning's alleged informant Manfred D. to have a paid part-time job for years. According to the research, the BND man is said to have stated office work for Hanning in the description of his part-time job. Payments could have been legitimized on paper.

Manfred D. initially began his BND work as a security guard in the 1990s and later worked as a personal assistant for a total of four presidents, most recently in the fall of 2025 for Martin Jäger, who was newly appointed at the time. In the BND, the official was considered a man with a special position because of his proximity to the top of the house. According to those in the know, this may be why he was less strictly controlled than others. The long-time intelligence officer has been retired since spring.

An investigating judge at the Federal Court of Justice executed the arrest warrant, the Federal Prosecutor's Office said. more

A working group in the BND security department is now said to be assuming that D. smuggled some documents out of the service in paper form. There are also said to be indications that the official communicated with Hanning via email from the BND. A circumstance that was said to have been reported to the BND's intelligence officer years ago. But this apparently had no consequences.

Because of the criminal investigation, the BND did not want to comment on questions of possible deficiencies in self-security. A spokeswoman for the Attorney General also declined to comment. Manfred D.'s lawyer did not want to comment.

When asked, Hanning's defense attorney said his client had not revealed any state secrets of the Federal Republic. "The fact that he paid money for confidential documents is nonsense." Since the documents in question are classified as classified information in the proceedings, he cannot comment further on their content.

This topic in the program: tagesschau.de | US services warned BND after Hanning arrest | Oct 30, 2026 | 11:00 a.m