Arrested German spy chief lashes out at his old agency over allegations he spied for Russia

A former German intelligence chief has been arrested over allegations that he spied for Russia. According to Politico Europe, he has lashed out at his old employer, the BND (Bundesnachrichtendienst), Germany's foreign intelligence service. The name given in the article's web address is August Hanning.

The material available offers only this basic outline. It does not say when or where the arrest took place, what evidence the allegations rest on, or what exactly Hanning said about the BND. It also gives no information on how the investigation will proceed or whether the case will go to court, so those details are not included here.

Spying allegations against a former senior intelligence official are a sensitive matter, because they bear on trust in state security institutions. The lack of specific circumstances and official comment means the substance of the case has so far been explained only in part.