German police have arrested an employee of the far-Right Alternative for Germany party (AfD) on suspicion of spying for China, in the latest espionage case to hit Germany.
Jian G, an aide to top AfD MEP Maximilian Krah, is suspected of passing information about the European parliament onto China’s Ministry of State Security, or MMS.
The alleged spy, whose full name was not disclosed by authorities due to German privacy laws, is also suspected of spying on Chinese opposition figures.
Jian G, who is facing charges of acting as an agent for a foreign state, was arrested in Dresden by police who also searched a number of apartments linked to his arrest.
According to Bild, a German tabloid, the suspect offered his services to Chinese intelligence services about ten years ago. But at that time he was considered unreliable by Beijing and potentially a double agent.
Nancy Faeser, the German interior minister, described the accusations as “extremely serious” as they amounted to an “attack from within” the European parliament.
“If it is confirmed that a European parliament [worker] was spying for Chinese intelligence services, then it would be an attack from within on European democracy,” she said.
In a thinly veiled swipe at Mr Krah, who employed Jian G, she added: “Anyone who employs such a staff member also carries responsibility…this case must be cleared up precisely. All the connections and background must be illuminated.”
The AfD has described the case as “very disturbing,” while Mr Krah appeared to deny his aide was a spy when he was approached for comment by German media after news broke of the arrest.
“As we have no further information on the case, we must wait for further investigations by federal prosecutors,” an AfD spokesman said.
Mr Krah, contacted by Bild, said that to the best of his knowledge his employee only had “contacts with official Chinese bodies in the embassy”.
It comes after German police also arrested three German citizens suspected of trying to provide the MSS with technology which could have military uses.
The alleged Chinese spying ring is suspected of using a fake company in London as a front to pass on intelligence to Beijing.
