2024-04-26 10:51:55
The arrested employee of Maximilian Krah is accused of being an agent for a foreign secret service. But he had also shown interest in the BND.
The employee of AfD MEP Maximilian Krah, who was arrested for suspected espionage for China, tried to work for the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) a few years ago. However, according to information from the German Press Agency, the foreign intelligence service refused to cooperate with Jian Guo at the time.
According to reports, the man was later reported to the Saxon Office for the Protection of the Constitution, where he was not taken into account either – also because he was not considered reliable. ARD had previously reported on the unsuccessful applications of Jian Guo, from whom Krah has since separated.
The suspect who was arrested on Monday evening is now in custody. The accusation is that he acted as an agent for a foreign secret service in a particularly serious case. According to the Federal Prosecutor General, the employee is said to have passed on information from the EU Parliament.
Krah is a member of the committees on international trade, as well as the subcommittees on human rights and security and defense. He is also part of the delegation for relations with the USA. The AfD is entering the European election campaign with him as the top candidate.
Warnings about espionage and influence peddling
Members of the European Parliament and the Bundestag enjoy great freedom in selecting their employees. A security check, which also includes the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, is available for employees of members of the Bundestag if they are supposed to have access to information in committees that is classified as classified information. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution repeatedly warns German MPs about the risks of espionage and influence peddling. In July 2023, for example, there was a note from the domestic secret service to politicians and administration about the Chinese Communist Party’s methods of influencing and obtaining information.
The Dresden Public Prosecutor’s Office is investigating investigations against Krah in connection with possible payments from Russia and China. The preliminary investigations serve to check whether there is any initial suspicion of criminal conduct involving bribery of members of parliament.
If an initial suspicion is confirmed, a formal investigation could subsequently be initiated. However, the prerequisite for this would be that the EU Parliament, of which Krah is a member, first lifts his immunity. Krah himself denies any wrongdoing.