German authorities have arrested former intelligence chief August Hanning over allegations that he shared secret government information with foreign intelligence agencies.

Federal prosecutors confirmed Hanning’s arrest on Tuesday, saying he was being investigated for allegedly spying, treason and working with foreign intelligence services.

Hanning headed Germany’s Federal Intelligence Service (BND) between 1998 and 2005.

Prosecutors did not name the countries allegedly involved, while AFP reported that Russia was not among them.

Hanning’s former chief of staff, identified as Manfred D., was also arrested for allegedly helping him obtain and pass on secret information.

According to prosecutors, Manfred D. continued working for some of Hanning’s successors after leaving his position but allegedly collected classified documents and later gave them to Hanning.

Investigators said Manfred D. provided Hanning with about 2,000 documents over several years, many of which contained sensitive information.

Prosecutors alleged that Hanning used some of the information in his private consulting work. He was also accused of preparing an analysis for an official from a foreign intelligence service and giving political information to an agent working for another foreign service.

Authorities said they were still unsure whether some of the information prepared for the foreign official eventually reached its intended recipient.

Under German law, treason can carry a life sentence.

The chairman of Parliament’s intelligence oversight committee, Marc Henrichmann, said Germany would not accept the leaking of state secrets.

“Whoever allies themselves with the enemies of our liberal democracy will be found out,” Henrichmann said, describing the alleged actions as a serious violation of Hanning’s former duties.

The case comes as Germany moves to strengthen its intelligence agencies because of growing security concerns.

The government recently approved major changes to the country’s intelligence services, including wider powers to carry out secret operations. The reforms are expected to be considered by Parliament early next year.

The current BND chief, Martin Jaeger, said the agency had carried out detailed internal investigations before federal prosecutors took over the case.

“For the BND and for me, there are no compromises when it comes to internal security,” Jaeger told the Rheinische Post.

German broadcaster ARD reported that some of the information allegedly passed by Manfred D. concerned Iran’s nuclear programme and the Russian military.

Some of the documents were reportedly originally obtained from intelligence agencies in other countries that work with Germany.

Green Party lawmaker and intelligence committee member Konstantin von Notz described the allegations as serious and disturbing.

He called for an investigation into the possible damage caused by the alleged release of the secret information.

The investigation involving Hanning reportedly began from a separate case involving Christina Block, an heiress to a German steakhouse business who is facing trial over the alleged abduction of her two children.

Hanning and a retired police officer were accused in that case of receiving more than €100,000 from Block in connection with efforts to return the children from Denmark, where they were living with their father.

Hanning’s property was searched in September 2025 as part of that investigation, which later led authorities to the allegations involving the former intelligence chief.