- Jessica Parker in Berlin and Paul Kirby in London
- bbc news
image source, Clemens Biran/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock
Prosecutors have arrested a man who works for a far-right politician on suspicion of spying for China.
They identified the man as Jan G., 43, who was named by German media as an assistant to AfD lawmaker and European election candidate Maximilian Kula.
Prosecutors said he was arrested in the eastern city of Dresden. They claim he passed on information about the European Parliament to Chinese intelligence services.
Jiang G is also suspected of spying on Chinese opposition figures in Germany.
Kula said he learned of his aide's arrest through the media, and said his employment would be immediately terminated if the charges were found to be true.
“Foreign espionage is a serious charge,” he said in a statement.
A spokesperson for the AfD party (Alternative for Germany) said, “We are extremely concerned about the reports that one of Mr. Kula's employees has been arrested on suspicion of espionage,'' and added that the matter is pending further investigation by prosecutors. He said there was.
Interior Minister Nancy Feser said the allegations were extremely serious, saying: “If it is confirmed that someone in the European Parliament spied on behalf of China, this is an attack from within on European democracy.” .
China's Foreign Ministry denied the arrests, calling them speculation aimed at “defaming and suppressing China.”
Prosecutors said Jean G had been working “as a member of the European Parliament” since 2019. He did not name Kula, who is the AfD's front-runner in the European elections to be held in the 27 EU member states from June 6-9.
Jean G. is scheduled to appear before a preliminary judge later Tuesday.
His arrest came a day after two men and a woman were arrested in Germany on suspicion of spying for China after allegedly obtaining information about Chinese military technology. There is no thought that there is any connection to this incident.
The main suspect in the case is suspected of operating a front company in collaboration with a German research institute while conducting espionage for China's Ministry of State Security (MSS). Thomas R. is said to have acquired “innovative technology for military use” on behalf of MSS personnel.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz returned from an important visit to Beijing a few days ago and held talks with President Xi Jinping on issues including Russia's war in Ukraine.
