German Authorities Arrest Three for Alleged Espionage on Behalf of China
Charles M. Walls | April 23, 2024 | Views: 154
German officials have initiated legal action against three of their nationals for allegedly engaging in espionage activities on behalf of China, according to the Federal Prosecutor's Office. While the suspects' full identities remain confidential, they are identified only as Herwig F., Ina F., and Thomas R.
Accusations leveled against them include collaborating with a Chinese intelligence agency from a date prior to June 2022. Thomas R. reportedly gathered intelligence on cutting-edge technologies within Germany for the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS), which might have military applications.
Alongside, Thomas R. allegedly enlisted the expertise of Herwig F. and Ina F., a married duo managing a Düsseldorf enterprise, to bridge connections with Germany’s academic and research sectors. This collaboration purportedly led to a contract with an unnamed German university to study high-performance naval engines potentially for use in combat vessels for a Chinese client.
At the time they were apprehended, further discussions were underway regarding research initiatives that could augment China's naval warfare capabilities, said the prosecution office. Moreover, the trio is accused of illegally exporting a specialized laser to China, financed by the MSS, in breach of European Union regulations that govern the export of dual-use technologies.
This announcement coincided with the arrest of Jian G., another alleged Chinese spy, who supposedly relayed confidential details from the European Parliament to his handlers while surveilling Chinese dissidents in Germany, starting from 2019.
In a related development, the German authorities arrested Alexander J., a German-Russian, last week on charges of espionage.
These cases follow recent charges in the U.K. against Christopher Berry and Christopher Cash for allegedly passing sensitive information to China, as detailed by the Metropolitan Police and Crown Prosecution Service. Both were apprehended earlier in March 2023 and are currently out on bail.
Reacting to these incidents, a spokesperson from the Chinese Embassy denounced the allegations as "malicious slander" and criticized the U.K. for what they described as political gamesmanship against China.
