Trial against BND employee begins in Berlin in December
Almost a year after the arrest of an employee of the Federal Intelligence Service on charges of spying for Russia, the man will stand trial in Berlin. The trial at the Berlin Court of Appeal is scheduled to begin on December 13, as the court announced on Thursday.
Together with a 32-year-old alleged accomplice, the 53-year-old is accused of betraying secret information to the Russian secret service FSB in two cases in the fall of 2022. The federal prosecutor's office accuses the two Germans of treason. Both are in custody. The court initially scheduled 51 trial days.
BND employee Carsten L. was arrested in Berlin on December 21, 2022. Following the Russian attack on Ukraine last year, he is alleged to have passed on information that he obtained in the course of his work at the BND to Russia. The federal prosecutor's office assumes that L. printed out or photographed nine internal BND documents at his workplaces in Berlin and Pullach near Munich on two occasions last September and October.
In January, the prosecution had Arthur E. arrested as a suspected accomplice. The German is said to have taken the secret information spied on by L. to Russia and handed it over to the secret service there. Both are said to have been paid by the Russian secret service.
- The incident involving the BND employee and his alleged accomplice raises concerns about the potential vulnerabilities of secret services in conflicts and wars, as they may become targets for espionage.
- The federal intelligence service and other secret services worldwide have processes in place to protect against crime and espionage, aiming to safeguard national security and uphold justice.
- The trial against the BND employee and his accomplice highlights the importance of maintaining the integrity of war-related information, as leaks can have severe consequences for global security and peace.
- In response to such incidents, various federal and international agencies engage in investigative and collaborative efforts to combat espionage and ensure that justice is served, ensuring that these types of crimes do not undermine the work of intelligence services.
Source: www.dpa.com
