Germany arrests US national accused of spying for China

The accused worked for the US equipped forces successful Germany until recently, according to prosecutors.

Germany has arrested a national of the United States suspected of offering quality connected the US subject to China portion moving for US forces successful Germany, the Office of the Federal Prosecutor says.

According to German prosecutors, the man, identified lone arsenic Martin D nether German privateness law, was arrested successful Frankfurt connected Thursday.

In a statement, prosecutors said helium is accused of having declared himself acceptable to enactment arsenic an cause for a overseas quality bureau and helium had “contacted Chinese officials successful 2024 and offered to manus them delicate accusation astir the US military”.

They said the accused had worked for US forces “until recently”. The probe is being carried retired “in adjacent co-ordination” with German intelligence, prosecutors added.

China and the US person not yet responded to quality of the arrest.

Berlin has seen an increase successful suspected spying cases linked to Russia since the Ukraine warfare and to China arsenic its ties with Beijing are nether increasing pressure.

Last month, Germany warned of an accrued hazard of espionage from Beijing and tightened information checks for unit successful delicate areas of authorities and business.

In April, 3 Germans were arrested connected suspicion of moving to manus implicit exertion that could fortify China’s navy. The aforesaid month, a European Union staffer of a far-right German person was accused of moving with Chinese intelligence.

Anxiety astir alleged Chinese spying has mounted elsewhere crossed the West successful caller months arsenic well.

In March, the US and Britain accused Beijing of cyberespionage against millions of people, including lawmakers, academics and journalists, arsenic good arsenic companies specified arsenic defence contractors.

At that time, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Wang Wenbin said reports of Chinese espionage successful Europe were “hyped” and “intended to discredit and suppress China”.