An aide to a German lawmaker within the European Parliament has been arrested on suspicion of spying for China, Germany’s federal prosecutor’s workplace stated Tuesday.
The arrest passed off on Monday within the japanese metropolis of Dresden. It got here simply hours after the German authorities arrested three folks within the west of the nation on suspicion of leaking technological information utilized in maritime propulsion and exporting a high-powered laser to China. It was not clear whether or not the 2 circumstances had been linked.
Prosecutors stated that Jian G., as he was recognized consistent with German privateness guidelines, had labored for a German member of the European Parliament since 2019.
Calling him an “worker of a Chinese language secret service,” prosecutors accused Mr. G. of repeatedly passing alongside details about parliamentary deliberations and choices to Chinese language intelligence in January. Mr. G., a German citizen, additionally was accused of spying on Chinese language opposition teams in Germany, in keeping with an announcement from the prosecutor’s workplace.
The Chinese language authorities denied any involvement within the case.
“Now we have taken notice of the related stories and associated hype,” a spokesman for the Overseas Ministry, Wang Wenbin, informed a information convention in Beijing on Tuesday. “In actuality, everybody has seen very clearly in latest instances that the so-called ‘Chinese language espionage menace concept’ just isn’t new in European public discourse,” he added.
Nancy Faeser, who as Germany’s inside minister is liable for homeland safety, referred to as the allegations “extraordinarily critical.”
“Whether it is confirmed that the European Parliament was spying for Chinese language intelligence companies, then that is an assault on European democracy from inside,” she stated in assertion on Tuesday morning.
Maximilian Krah, a lawmaker with the far-right Different for Germany, or AfD, social gathering confirmed that the person arrested was considered one of his staff.
“Ought to the allegations show to be true, this is able to outcome within the fast termination of employment,” Mr. Krah wrote on X.
A spokesman for the Belgian prosecutor’s workplace, which might be liable for any investigations on the aide’s office contained in the European Parliament in Brussels, didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark. A spokesman for the European Parliament additionally didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
Mr. Krah, who has served within the European Parliament since 2019, has positioned himself on the best wing of the AfD. He’s thought of to be the social gathering’s prime candidate within the European Parliament election in June.
The arrest of his aide was not the primary time Mr. Krah’s title has are available in contact with accused spies for overseas international locations.
In line with inside data reviewed by The New York Instances, Mr. Krah secured an entry badge to the European Parliament for a Polish man later accused of spying for Russia.
Matina Stevis-Gridneff contributed reporting from Brussels.
