German authorities have declared the issuance of arrest warrants against three individuals suspected of engaging in espionage activities on behalf of China.
The identities of the accused individuals were not divulged by the Office of the Federal Prosecutor (also known as Generalbundesanwalt), although they include Herwig F., Ina F., and Thomas R.
“The individuals in question are strongly believed to have been operatives for a clandestine Chinese agency since a time prior to June 2022,” stated the Generalbundesanwalt.
Thomas R. is alleged to have functioned as a operative for China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS), gathering intelligence on cutting-edge technologies within Germany that might hold military utility. Furthermore, the defendant purportedly enlisted the assistance of a married couple, Herwig F. and Ina F., who manage a business based in Düsseldorf. This enterprise has established connections within Germany’s scientific and research circles.
This collaboration materialized into an agreement with an unspecified German university to undertake a study on behalf of an undisclosed Chinese contractor. This study focused on the operational aspects of high-performance marine engines destined for deployment on combat vessels.
“At the time of their apprehension, the accused parties were engaged in further discussions regarding research endeavors that could potentially bolster China’s naval capabilities,” remarked the agency.
Furthermore, the defendants allegedly procured a specialized laser device from Germany on behalf of the MSS and proceeded to export it to China without proper authorization, despite the device being subject to EU dual-use regulations.
These developments coincide with the Generalbundesanwalt’s disclosure of the apprehension of another individual, Jian G, suspected of acting as an operative for the Chinese Secret Service while employed by a German Member of the European Parliament since 2019.
“In January 2024, the defendant repeatedly divulged information pertaining to negotiations and decisions within the European Parliament to their intelligence handlers,” disclosed the agency. “Moreover, they engaged in surveillance activities targeting Chinese dissidents within Germany on behalf of the intelligence service.”
Subsequently, the Office of the Federal Prosecutor executed an arrest warrant against Alexander J., a dual German-Russian citizen, for purported involvement in secret service activities.
These arrests follow the indictment of Christopher Berry, aged 32, and Christopher Cash, aged 29, in the United Kingdom for divulging sensitive information to China in contravention of the Official Secrets Act, as confirmed by the Metropolitan Police and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).
Both individuals, previously apprehended on March 13, 2023, in Oxfordshire and Edinburgh respectively, and subsequently released on bail, stand accused of disseminating “articles, notes, documents, or information” which may have directly or indirectly served the interests of an adversarial nation.
A spokesperson representing the Chinese Embassy rebuffed these allegations as “baseless slander” and implored the UK to desist from “anti-China political machinations.”
