Former German intelligence chief Hanning detained over suspected espionage

Germany's federal prosecutor's office announced on Tuesday that it had detained August Hanning, the former head of Germany's foreign intelligence service, the BND. The 80-year-old faces a criminal case on suspicion of treason and of acting on behalf of a foreign intelligence service.

Hanning led the BND from 1998 to 2005 and afterward worked as a private security consultant. A BND employee has also been detained alongside him; prosecutors say this person allegedly continued supplying Hanning with classified information after his retirement from the service.

German media report that the country Hanning is suspected of working for is not Russia, though no specific nation has been publicly named so far.

A Latvian link

Hanning also has ties to Latvia, having served on the supervisory board of the now-insolvent PNB Bank. The bank's administrator, Vigo Krastiņš, is currently pursuing a court case to recover 32 million euros from former board and supervisory board members over losses caused to the bank. Hanning is among the defendants, and his house has previously been placed under arrest as part of the proceedings.

The espionage case against Hanning is at an early stage, and the investigation by German prosecutors continues.