Former German foreign intelligence chief August Hanning was arrested on Tuesday (October 6) on suspicion of paying for access to classified documents and using them to prepare an analysis for a foreign intelligence service, federal prosecutors said.

Prosecutors did not identify the foreign intelligence service and it was not immediately clear whether the analysis reached its intended recipient.

Prosecutors allege that five years after his tenure as head of the BND intelligence service ended in 2005, Hanning agreed with a former BND office manager to receive confidential intelligence information in exchange for payment.

The office manager, identified as Manfred D. in line with privacy rules, was also arrested on Tuesday.

Prosecutors said D. is suspected of having supplied around 2,000 documents over the years, including classified material intended solely for internal use within the BND and senior-level intelligence briefings at the chancellery.

According to prosecutors, Hanning used classified information supplied by D. to prepare an analysis for an officer of a foreign intelligence service and for years shared political information with a representative of another foreign intelligence service.

According to information obtained by the SZ newspaper, the case does not involve Russia.

The BND declined to comment and referred to prosecutors. The chancellery declined to comment.

Police carried out arrests and searches in the states of Bavaria, North Rhine-Westphalia and Berlin on Tuesday, and both suspects were due to appear before a judge at the Federal Court of Justice, prosecutors added.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

ARCHIVE: Germany detains former spy chief, 80, on espionage and treason charges

VIDEO SHOWS: ARCHIVE PHOTOS AND 2007 ARCHIVE OF THEN GERMAN SPY CHIEF AUGUST HANNING WHO WAS ARRESTED ON ESPIONAGE CHARGES ON TUESDAY (OCTOBER 6)

RESENDING WITH COMPLETE SCRIPT

SHOWS: BERLIN, GERMANY (ARCHIVE - AUGUST 8, 2005) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. STILL PHOTO OF AUGUST HANNING, THEN GERMAN SPY CHIEF, WHO HAS BEEN ARRESTED ON ESPIONAGE CHARGES

BERLIN, GERMANY (ARCHIVE - NOVEMBER 1, 2007) (REUTERS - Access all) (ORIGINALLY 4:3)

2. HANNING SPEAKING AT NEWS CONFERENCE

BERLIN, GERMANY (ARCHIVE - NOVEMBER 30, 2006) (REUTERS - Access all) (ORIGINALLY 4:3)

3. STILL PHOTO OF HANNING

BERLIN, GERMANY (ARCHIVE - SEPTEMBER 26, 2001) (REUTERS - Access all)

4. THEN FOREIGN MINISTER JOSCHKA FISCHER IN DISCUSSION WITH HANNING

BERLIN, GERMANY (ARCHIVE - NOVEMBER 30, 2006) (REUTERS - Access all) (ORIGINALLY 4:3)

5. HANNING SEATED AT TABLE APPEARING IN FRONT OF PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE, HOLDING FILES