Germany arrests ex-spymaster over suspected espionage, treason

Former German intelligence chief August Hanning has been arrested on suspicion of espionage and treason, according to media reports, in a case that could rank among the country's largest spy scandals.

Bild newspaper and Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported Tuesday that federal prosecutors are investigating Hanning, who led the Federal Intelligence Service, or BND, from 1998 to 2005, and a second suspect.

According to Bild, the suspicions include obtaining state secrets, treason and espionage for a foreign power.

The investigation was launched after the discovery of an alleged leak of intelligence reports intended for the chancellery, Bild said.

The newspaper said Hanning paid a former member of the BND leadership staff for classified information and allegedly "planned to resell it" as part of his consulting work.

Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported that Hanning was supplied with secret material from the service years after he left office by his former office director. Investigators are examining whether he passed those secrets to foreign powers, the newspaper said.

It described the case as potentially one of the largest espionage affairs in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany.