US citizen arrested in Germany for alleged Chinese espionage

BERLIN

German police arrested a former US military employee on suspicion of attempting to pass sensitive information to Chinese intelligence services, officials said on Thursday.

Martin D., a US citizen whose full name has not been disclosed, was apprehended in Frankfurt am Main on Thursday, following an arrest warrant issued by the Federal Court of Justice, prosecutors said.

The Federal Prosecutor's Office said Martin D. is strongly suspected of “declaring his willingness to act as an intelligence agent for a foreign secret service,” a violation of the German Criminal Code.

“Until recently, Martin D. worked for the US armed forces in Germany. In 2024, he contacted Chinese government agencies and offered to provide them with sensitive US military information for forwarding to a Chinese intelligence service,” prosecutors said in a statement.

Investigators allege that Martin D. obtained this sensitive information during his work for the US armed forces. Authorities have not released details about the specific nature of the information he offered to Chinese officials, citing the ongoing investigation.

Extensive searches were conducted at Martin D.'s residence following his arrest, German authorities said. During these searches, investigators seized various electronic devices and other potential evidence related to the alleged espionage activities.