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- Hacker News
- This (paywalled) article in Süddeutsche Zeitung has a lot more background info, for instance about Hanning's Russian connections.
https://www.sueddeutsche.de/politik/hanning-festnahme-spiona...
In 2013 he was a defence witness for the oligarch Oleg Deripaska who was then tied to Putin. He was also on the board of companies such as PNB Banka (operated by a Russian Grigory Guselnikov). Also connections to many shady "security consulting" firms, among them "Prevent" who were suspected to have planted child porn with a manager of HSH-Nordbank. Incidentally child porn was also planted with the husband of Christina Block in Denmark, a case in which Hanning is also involved.
On the angle of Azerbaijan who allegedly bought Hanning's secrets it's interesting that in the past there were several court cases about corruption against German politicians. It's summarised in the so called Aserbaidschan-Affäre (Azerbaijan Affair) https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aserbaidschan-Aff%C3%A4re
by ofrzeta - I take BND less seriously since I learned they're eager to sell you merch:by hughw
- It's like one of those "one last job before quiting for good but gone bad" movie plots.by altmanaltman
- > Hanning is strongly suspected of treasonous espionage, attempted treason, and espionage.
Well that clears that up.
Is anyone else shocked that the head spy was a spy, or that Germany was being blackmailed by Mossad?
by cowlevel - Well at least he paid for it and did not outright steal it :)
Any idea which foreign country he was spying for?
by throwa356262 - In my country, they posted the news translated as: 'Spy chief is detained in counts of espionage'
I just wanted to share the journalism pearl.
by motbus3 - High key, maybe look at Gerhard Schröder for the same thing. His ceding of sovereignty over Germany's energy infrastructure and subsequent board seat at Gazprom is a flashing red siren.by cco