The accused labored for the US armed forces in Germany till lately, in line with prosecutors.
Germany has arrested a citizen of the US suspected of providing intelligence on the US army to China whereas working for US forces in Germany, the Workplace of the Federal Prosecutor says.
In keeping with German prosecutors, the person, recognized solely as Martin D underneath German privateness legislation, was arrested in Frankfurt on Thursday.
In a press release, prosecutors mentioned he’s accused of getting declared himself able to work as an agent for a overseas intelligence company and he had “contacted Chinese language officers in 2024 and supplied handy them delicate details about the US army”.
They mentioned the accused had labored for US forces “till lately”. The investigation is being carried out “in shut co-ordination” with German intelligence, prosecutors added.
China and the US haven’t but responded to information of the arrest.
Berlin has seen an enhance in suspected spying circumstances linked to Russia because the Ukraine warfare and to China as its ties with Beijing are underneath rising stress.
Final month, Germany warned of an elevated threat of espionage from Beijing and tightened safety checks for workers in delicate areas of presidency and enterprise.
In April, three Germans have been arrested on suspicion of working handy over know-how that would strengthen China’s navy. The identical month, a European Union staffer of a far-right German politician was accused of working with Chinese language intelligence.
Nervousness about alleged Chinese language spying has mounted elsewhere throughout the West in latest months as properly.
In March, the US and Britain accused Beijing of cyberespionage towards hundreds of thousands of individuals, together with lawmakers, lecturers and journalists, in addition to corporations comparable to defence contractors.
At the moment, China’s Ministry of International Affairs spokesperson Wang Wenbin mentioned experiences of Chinese language espionage in Europe have been “hyped” and “meant to discredit and suppress China”.
