Three Germans Accused of Spying for China, Prosecution Uncertain
German federal prosecutors have charged three individuals with espionage, allegedly collecting and passing on sensitive military technology information to China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS).
The State Security Senate of the Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court will decide whether a trial will take place and, if so, when. The three, Herwig F., Ina F., and Thomas R., were arrested in April in North Rhine-Westphalia and Hesse, with the accusation of engaging in intelligence activities.
Thomas R. is specifically accused of spying for a Chinese intelligence officer since 2017, according to the prosecution.
The accused allegedly obtained the information by using a company run by the F. couple, collecting knowledge on topics including boat motors, sonar systems, aircraft defense systems, tank propulsion, and military drone technology between February 2017 and April 2024, before passing it on to the Chinese authorities.