August Hanning, former head of Germany's Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND) from 1998 to 2005, has been arrested and charged with espionage, disclosure of state secrets, and treason. Prosecutors allege that Hanning acquired nearly 2,000 BND documents between 2010 and 2022, which he used in his work as a private security consultant. These documents were obtained from his former BND aide, identified as 'Manfred D'.
Hanning's ties to Israeli spies and criminals have raised concerns in Berlin. He is accused of working with a foreign intelligence agency, and evidence points to his involvement with Israeli intelligence. Hanning has been a prominent figure on the security conference circuit and has openly lobbied for Azerbaijan since the mid-2010s. Media reports suggest that one of the foreign services he collaborated with is believed to be the Foreign Intelligence Service of Azerbaijan.
A bungled kidnapping plot led to Hanning's arrest. In 2022, he allegedly hired a team to kidnap two children from their father's care in Denmark. The plot involved Yaakov Perry, former chief of Israel's Shin Bet domestic intelligence agency, and Danny Yatom, former head of Mossad. The team, led by David Barkay, an alleged Mossad agent, carried out the kidnapping on New Year's Eve, 2023.
Hanning denies any role in the kidnapping, as does Yaakov Perry. Barkay has confessed to orchestrating and carrying out the operation but has not implicated Hanning or Yaakov. Yatom has stated that his relationship with Hanning was strictly professional, dating back to the late 1980s. However, Yatom invited Hanning to join the board of his private cybersecurity company, World Health Energy Holdings (WHEN), in 2021.
Hanning's involvement with Yatom and Perry has raised questions about his loyalties. During his tenure at the BND, Hanning was known as the 'gray man' of intelligence, with a reputation for being discreet. However, his ties to Israel and Russia have been the subject of speculation. Prosecutors have ruled out any suspicion of collusion with Russian agents, leaving only one possibility.
Perry's private intelligence firm, CGI Group, has been involved in several high-profile operations. The company, founded by former Israeli spies, specializes in private spycraft and has hired senior personnel from elite IDF units, the General Security Services, and the Mossad. CGI Group was also involved in a plot to steal $60 million from the Bulgarian government in 2019.
Hanning's case has sparked concerns about the blurred lines between private intelligence agencies and government entities. His relationships with Yatom and Perry have raised questions about the extent of his involvement with foreign intelligence services. The investigation is ongoing, and Hanning's future is uncertain.
Key points
- August Hanning, former head of Germany's BND, has been charged with espionage, disclosure of state secrets, and treason for working with a foreign intelligence agency.
- Hanning's ties to Israeli spies, including Yaakov Perry and Danny Yatom, have raised concerns in Berlin about his loyalties.
- A bungled kidnapping plot led to Hanning's arrest, with allegations that he hired a team to kidnap two children from their father's care in Denmark.
