Investigators arrested two Munich residents on Wednesday on suspicion of spying for China. The federal prosecutor’s office said.
The suspects are a married couple with German citizenship, identified as Xuejun C. and Hua S. Has happened as.
What is the charge against the couple?
Prosecutors said the pair were suspected of working for a Chinese secret intelligence agency.
“To gain access to scientific information about high-tech technologies with military applications, he made contacts with numerous scientists at German universities and research institutes,” prosecutors wrote.
In particular, he focused on increasing contacts with “university professors in the areas of aerospace and space travel, IT and artificial intelligence”.
Among other roles, he is said to have posed as a translator and to employees of a German car parts supplier to gain access.
Prosecutors alleged, “Some scientists were taken to China under the pretext of giving lectures to civilian audiences in exchange for remuneration.” “In fact, these presentations then took place in front of companies linked to government arms companies.”
What else happened in Wednesday’s operation?
Both men were arrested on Wednesday based on warrants issued a week ago; Federal prosecutors worked closely with authorities in Bavaria.
The couple were taken to the Federal Court (Bundesgerichtshof) in Karlsruhe later on Wednesday for a decision on whether they will be kept in investigative custody.
The Munich residences and workplaces of the suspects were searched.
Further actions regarding arrests also took place in the states of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Berlin, Brandenburg, Lower Saxony and North Rhine-Westphalia.
Their purpose was to establish contact with witnesses who were not suspected of criminal activity.
Edited by: Wesley Dockery