German prosecutors have charged three Russian-German nationals for performing as secret service brokers for Russia.
The people, named Dieter S., Alexander J., and Alex D., have been accused of working for a overseas secret service. Dieter S. can also be alleged to have participated in sabotage operations in addition to taking footage of navy installations with an intention to hazard nationwide safety.
Dieter S. was initially arrested by the Federal Felony Police Workplace (aka Bundeskriminalamt or BKA) alongside Alexander J. on espionage expenses. In late October 2024, Dieter S. was additionally charged with being a fighter of an armed unit of the Donetsk Individuals’s Republic (DPR).
In accordance with the Workplace of the Federal Prosecutor (aka Generalbundesanwalt), Dieter S. was in touch with a person who belonged to the Russian secret service and was additionally a part of the armed unit of DPR.
“From October 2023, Dieter S. exchanged info with the particular person about potential sabotage actions within the Federal Republic of Germany,” the Generalbundesanwalt mentioned. “The actions have been meant particularly to undermine the navy help supplied by Germany to Ukraine in opposition to the Russian warfare of aggression.”
In addition to expressing his willingness to hold out explosive and arson assaults on navy infrastructure and industrial websites, Dieter S. pledged to conduct sabotage actions in opposition to railway strains used for the transport of navy items.
In preparation for these assaults, the defendant collected details about potential targets in Bavaria, together with U.S. navy amenities, a loading station in Higher Palatinate, and a instrument manufacturing firm. He was assisted in his efforts by Alexander J. and Alex D. no later than March 2024.
“Dieter S. scouted out a few of the focused objects on web site, taking photographs and movies, for instance of navy transports and items,” prosecutors mentioned, including the intelligence info was then handed on to his contact.
The event comes because the Generalbundesanwalt filed expenses in opposition to a Turkish citizen named Mehmet Okay. on suspicion of working for the Turkish secret service. In early November 2024, a U.S. nationwide Martin D. was additionally arrested on comparable expenses.
“Martin D. labored till lately for the U.S. armed forces in Germany,” the officers mentioned. “In 2024, he contacted Chinese language authorities companies and provided to transmit delicate info from the U.S. navy for forwarding to a Chinese language intelligence service. He had obtained the knowledge in query in the midst of his work with the U.S. armed forces.”
Previous to that, a Chinese language citizen Yaqi X. was arrested for transmitting info to an worker of a Chinese language intelligence service. Yaqi X., who labored for an organization that gives logistics companies at Leipzig/Halle Airport, gathered knowledge about flights, cargo, and passengers, particularly specializing in armaments and personnel with ties to a German protection firm.
The data was shared with Jian G., who was beforehand apprehended by legislation enforcement in early 2024. The intelligence gathering exercise occurred between mid-August 2023 and mid-February 2024, the Generalbundesanwalt mentioned.
