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Important additional info from the original Der Spiegel report[0] The suspect initially offered his services to Russian intelligence for financial gain. Appare

by nikcub 12y ago

Important additional info from the original Der Spiegel report[0] The suspect initially offered his services to Russian intelligence for financial gain. Apparently this is what alerted him to German counterintel. There was then an offer made to a representative of the USA. But most important, Spiegel reports that it hasn't been confirmed yet that this USA representative was actually American or acting in the capacity of the government, suggesting that it may have been a counterintelligence operation. [0] http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/bnd-mitarbeiter-soll-fuer-die-usa-spioniert-haben-a-979199.html http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/bnd-mitarbeiter-so...

sgift 12y ago
It seems that the various Spiegel articles contradict each other: In the article I read it was stated that he already spied for the US and wanted to spy for the Russians too[0]. Both versions seem possible, will be interesting to see which one is true in the end. [0] http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/bnd-mitarbeiter-unter-spionageverdacht-wie-der-maulwurf-aufflog-a-979247.html http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/bnd-mitarbeiter-un...
chmars 12y ago
The guy got arrested because it was thought that he had been spying for the Russians. That explains the arrest then an American spy would never get arrested in Germany, Americans – even American spies – are considered 'friends' after all. That is probably why Chancellor Merkel had to call President Obama: To explain why the Germans caused such embarrassment by arresting an American spy …
- disputin 12y ago
  American spy != spying for America.
- e12e 12y ago
  Sadly, you're probably mostly right -- but let's not forget the story of Robert Seldon Lady in Italy. On occasion European states do the right thing, despite being in bed with the US on most things, international law be dammed. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/07/18/the-story-of-how-a-milan-cia-station-chief-became-a-fugitive-now-caught-in-panama/ http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/07/18...
throwaway314214 12y ago
>The suspect initially offered his services to Russian intelligence for financial gain. Apparently this is what alerted him to German counterintel. There was then an offer made to a representative of the USA. The article you link does not corroborate this. Actually it reads like he approach the Americans first, got money for it, went to the Russians and was caught then. (And this makes more sense too, if him contacting the Russians alerted German counterintelligence why would they not have apprehended him immediately, given that the material he offered is related to ongoing affairs?)

by nikcub 12y ago

sgift 12y ago

It seems that the various Spiegel articles contradict each other: In the article I read it was stated that he already spied for the US and wanted to spy for the Russians too[0]. Both versions seem possible, will be interesting to see which one is true in the end. [0] http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/bnd-mitarbeiter-unter-spionageverdacht-wie-der-maulwurf-aufflog-a-979247.html http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/bnd-mitarbeiter-un...

chmars 12y ago

The guy got arrested because it was thought that he had been spying for the Russians. That explains the arrest then an American spy would never get arrested in Germany, Americans – even American spies – are considered 'friends' after all. That is probably why Chancellor Merkel had to call President Obama: To explain why the Germans caused such embarrassment by arresting an American spy …

disputin 12y ago
American spy != spying for America.
e12e 12y ago
Sadly, you're probably mostly right -- but let's not forget the story of Robert Seldon Lady in Italy. On occasion European states do the right thing, despite being in bed with the US on most things, international law be dammed. http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/07/18/the-story-of-how-a-milan-cia-station-chief-became-a-fugitive-now-caught-in-panama/ http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/07/18...

throwaway314214 12y ago

>The suspect initially offered his services to Russian intelligence for financial gain. Apparently this is what alerted him to German counterintel. There was then an offer made to a representative of the USA. The article you link does not corroborate this. Actually it reads like he approach the Americans first, got money for it, went to the Russians and was caught then. (And this makes more sense too, if him contacting the Russians alerted German counterintelligence why would they not have apprehended him immediately, given that the material he offered is related to ongoing affairs?)