Germany: Investigations over the involvement of German Foreign Intelligence employee in espionage for Russia
Press reports in Germany revealed the possible involvement of another employee of the German Foreign Intelligence Service (BND) in the case of espionage for Russia, in which one of the agency’s employees is accused.
According to information received by the German Der Spiegel magazine, the alleged partner and correspondent of the suspected employee, Karsten L.
He admitted that he had traveled at least twice to Moscow, to deliver classified documents belonging to the foreign intelligence service to an employee of the Russian intelligence service FSB.
Der Spiegel quoted the alleged partner as saying that the conspiratorial meetings took place in a Moscow restaurant in October and November.
The German Foreign Intelligence Service (BND), didn’t make statements regarding the ongoing investigations.
A spokesman of the German Foreign Intelligence Service (BND) referred to the investigations being conducted by the German Public Prosecution Service in Karlsruhe.
On the twenty-second of last month, the German authorities arrested the correspondent, Artur E, at Munich Airport when he was coming from the United States.
The Public Prosecution stated that he is a German citizen and not an employee of the (BND) device.
There is a strong suspicion of Artur’s complicity in the crime of national treason.
BND employee Carsten L, in Berlin last December 11 on suspicion of committing the crime of treason to the homeland, as it is believed that he passed information to Russia obtained by virtue of his work, after the Russian attack on Ukraine.
It worth mentioning that both suspects are currently in pretrial detention.
According to Der Spiegel magazine, Artur said that during the second meeting in Moscow, FSB agents gave him an envelope containing cash in exchange for secret BND documents.
The suspects were both former soldiers in the German army.
Der Spiegel magazine said, that he believed the material delivered in Moscow was information including printed screen shots of tables and classified data on the number of Russian casualties in Ukraine, which BND appeared to be obtaining as part of covert operations.
Artur’s statements indicated the possibility that Carsten L, the other BND assistants, where he said that when he returned to Munich airport from his second visit to Moscow, Carsten didn’t meet him at the airport, but was received by another BND employee, adding that this employee took the money envelope cash.
The Der Spiegel magazine said that the investigators initiated a procedure to investigate the second employee and that there are many indications that they identified the man without his knowledge.
