German spy chief arrested — August Hanning, a former president of Germany’s foreign intelligence service (BND), has been arrested on suspicion of treason and espionage. The federal prosecutor’s office stated he is strongly suspected of treasonous espionage, spying out state secrets, attempted treason, and espionage.

The arrest marks a significant security breach involving a top official who led the BND from 1998 to 2005. The prosecutor’s office did not immediately disclose further details about the alleged acts or the timeline of the investigation.

Such a case involving a former head of a major Western intelligence agency is highly unusual and points to a severe internal security failure. The investigation will likely scrutinize potential damage to Germany’s national security and its international intelligence partnerships.