A German lawmaker’s assistant in the European Parliament was apprehended for suspected espionage on behalf of China, as confirmed by Germany’s federal prosecutor’s office on Tuesday.
The arrest occurred in Dresden on Monday, following the detention of three individuals in western Germany for allegedly leaking maritime propulsion technology and exporting a high-powered laser to China. The connection between these incidents remains unclear.
Identified as Jian G., the assistant had been working for a German MEP since 2019, according to prosecutors.
Accused of sharing confidential parliamentary information with Chinese intelligence and monitoring Chinese opposition groups in Germany, Mr. G., a German citizen, faced serious allegations from the prosecutor’s office.
The Chinese government denied any involvement in the matter, dismissing it as part of a recurring “Chinese espionage threat theory” in European discourse.
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser condemned the allegations as a severe threat to European democracy if proven true.
Maximilian Krah, a member of the AfD party, confirmed that the arrested individual was his employee and pledged immediate termination if the accusations were substantiated.
Further investigations at the European Parliament in Brussels were pending, with no immediate response from the Belgian prosecutor’s office or the European Parliament spokesperson.
Mr. Krah, known for his right-wing stance, has been linked to previous instances involving individuals accused of spying for foreign nations.
Matina Stevis-Gridneff contributed to this report from Brussels.
2024-04-23 09:58:48
Link from www.nytimes.com
