Officers from the Federal Criminal Police Office in Düsseldorf and Bad Homburg detained three German citizens suspected of working for Chinese intelligence, the German Prosecutor General’s Office said, Report informs via RBC.
Herwig F., Ina F. and Thomas R. were detained on the basis of a bench warrant dated April 17, 2024. Searches were carried out at their homes and workplaces.
“The defendants are suspected of working for Chinese intelligence from an unspecified period until June 2022,” the office said.
According to the Prosecutor General’s Office, Thomas R. collaborated with an agent of the Chinese intelligence service MSS. On behalf of this man, Thomas R. searched for information about innovative technologies in Germany suitable for military use. To do this, he turned to the spouses Herwig and Ina F., who run a company from Düsseldorf that collaborates with German scientists and researchers.
“At the first stage, the goal was to conduct a study for a Chinese contractor on the state of the art of machine parts, which are also important for the operation of powerful ship engines, for example, on warships,” the Prosecutor General’s Office found out.
Behind the Chinese contractor was an MSS employee from whom Thomas R. received assignments, and the project was financed by Chinese government agencies.
