A judge of Germany's Federal Court of Justice issued a formal arrest warrant against a former spy chief accused of buying secret documents and using them in an analysis for a foreign intelligence service, the Office of the Federal Prosecutor said on Wednesday (October 7).

The case of 80-year-old August Hanning, detained on Tuesday over suspected espionage and attempted treason, has shocked the German intelligence community and lawmakers, and could emerge as one of the biggest leaks of classified documents in Germany since the end of the Cold War.

It has also raised concerns that foreign intelligence agencies could cut Germany off from important information.

Federal prosecutors have not identified the foreign intelligence service, and it is unclear whether Hanning's alleged analysis reached its intended recipient.

Der Spiegel news magazine reported late on Tuesday that investigators were pursuing a possible connection to Azerbaijan. It reported Hanning had been in contact with an agent from the country. Azerbaijan on Wednesday denied any connection.

Hanning on Tuesday did not respond to a request for comment.

"While it is true that he was in possession of confidential documents, the allegation that he passed on information contained therein to the detriment of Germany, let alone for payment, is incorrect," his lawyer told German newspaper Die Welt on Wednesday.

A judge at the Federal Court of Justice in the southwestern city of Karlsruhe issued the arrest warrant, federal prosecutors said.

The official warrant allows authorities to keep Hanning in custody.

Hanning was head of the BND, Germany's foreign intelligence service, from 1998 to 2005.

Prosecutors allege that in 2010 Hanning agreed to pay for confidential information from an official identified as Manfred D, who served as chief of staff to successive BND heads prior to his retirement in March this year.

His position potentially gave him access to some of Germany's most current intelligence at the time that prosecutors say documents were being siphoned from the service.

Manfred D. was detained on Tuesday and also placed under formal arrest on Wednesday.

Prosecutors on Tuesday said that the investigation centred on suspicion that Hanning received approximately 2,000 documents from D. through June 2022. "Some of these documents were classified," a spokesperson for the prosecution service said.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

KARLSRUHE, GERMANY (OCTOBER 7, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all)

1. POLICE CAR AT COURT

2. SIGN OF FEDERAL COURT OF JUSTICE

3. VARIOUS OF CAR WITH FORMER GERMAN SPY CHIEF AUGUST HANNING LEAVING FEDERAL COURT OF JUSTICE

4. REPORTERS OUTSIDE COURT

PULLACH, GERMANY (ARCHIVE - NOVEMBER 20, 2003) (REUTERS - Access all) (ORIGINALLY 4:3)

5. HANNING SPEAKING AT NEWS CONFERENCE

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

6. STILL PHOTO OF HANNING

BERLIN, GERMANY (ARCHIVE - SEPTEMBER 26, 2001) (REUTERS - Access all) (ORIGINALLY 4:3) (MUTE)

7. STILL PHOTO OF THEN FOREIGN MINISTER JOSCHKA FISCHER IN DISCUSSION WITH HANNING

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

8. STILL PHOTO OF HANNING SEATED AT TABLE APPEARING IN FRONT OF PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE, HOLDING FILES

PULLACH, GERMANY (ARCHIVE - NOVEMBER 6, 2002) (REUTERS - Access all) (ORIGINALLY 4:3)

9. VARIOUS OF ENTRANCE TO BND HEADQUARTERS

BERLIN, GERMANY (ARCHIVE – FEBRUARY 8, 2019) (REUTERS - Access all)

10. VARIOUS OF SECURITY CAMERAS OUTSIDE BND BUILDING

11. VARIOUS OF BUILDING EXTERIORS OF BND

12. VARIOUS OF NAME OF BND ON WALL / EAGLE LOGO ON WALL

13. VARIOUS OF BND EXTERIORS