Germany moves in on suspected Chinese spies – including AfD employee

Germany has swooped on suspected spies accused of passing on secret information to China, as concern deepens in the West over aggressive Chinese espionage.

Investigators arrested three German nationals in the west of the country on Monday suspected of sharing information on maritime technology, prosecutors said in a statement.

The trio, named as Herwig F., Ina F. and Thomas R., are accused of taking part in an information-gathering project funded by Chinese state agencies, as well as illegally exporting a laser to China.

On Tuesday, German media reported that police had also arrested a man in Dresden on suspicion of spying for China. The suspect was said to be a long-time employee of the far-right Alternative for Germany’s (AfD) leading candidate for the European elections, Maximilian Krah.

The suspect, known as Jian G., was reportedly arrested in Dresden overnight. According to German broadcasters, prosecutors have accused the 43-year-old of acting as an intelligence agent for a foreign power – the Chinese secret service.

China’s embassy in Berlin on Monday “firmly” rejected allegations, according to state-run news agency Xinhua.

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser warned of the “considerable danger posed by Chinese espionage in business, industry and science”.

“The area affected in the current case – innovative technologies from Germany that can be used for military purposes — is particularly sensitive,” Faeser said.

READ ALSO: Germany arrests three suspected of spying for China

Health Minister wants to make kidney donations easier between strangers 

Health Minister Karl Lauterbach is planning to make kidney donations easier in Germany. 

According to a draft amendment to the law, the SPD politician wants to allow in future for ‘cross donation’ to take place. That means that, unlike today, kidney donations between two people will be allowed even if they are not personally close. 

The draft states that cross-donation would take place anonymously and be organised by transplant centres. The anonymity is reportedly intended to prevent money being paid for an organ.

Under current rules, a kidney is usually donated to someone who is close to the patient. However, sometimes it its not a match and figures show there are not enough organs for the many people waiting for a kidney.

According to the Health Ministry, almost 340 people in Germany who were on the waiting list for a kidney donation died in 2022 alone.

Police probing ATM explosions in Berlin and Hamburg 

Residents in the Zehlendorf area of Berlin were woken up on Monday with a loud bang after an ATM machine was blown up. 

Police were alerted shortly after 3am. According to a witness, two suspects fled the scene on scooters.

According to initial investigations, the perpetrators blew up the cash machine in the vestibule of a bank with an unknown substance.

The blast caused extensive damage inside the branch, according to police.

Meanwhile, a cash machine was also blown up in a shopping centre in Schenefeld near Hamburg in the early hours of Monday. 

Police said perpetrators also tried to break into another ATM, but failed.

It is unclear how much money was swiped in each case.

German president emphasises strong ties between Germany and Turkey

Accompanied by a Berlin kebab chef, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier kicked off a diplomatic visit to Turkey late on Monday, hailing strong ties between Germans and Turks despite Berlin’s difficult relationship with his Turkish counterpart.

Steinmeier has had a tricky relationship with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The German head of state has been quick to call out Erdogan’s approach towards Israel and has previously raised concerns about the erosion of democratic norms in Turkey.

Beginning his three-day trip in Istanbul, Steinmeier stressed the close personal ties between Germans and Turks.

“It is these special and intense relationships that bridge distances, and also some differences, today,” he said.

During a visit to Istanbul’s Sirkeci train station, from where huge numbers set off for Germany many years ago, Steinmeier said the migrants “helped to build our country”.

“They made it strong and they belong at the heart of our society”, he said.

But there were also signs of tensions over the Gaza war, with about 50 protesters chanting slogans at Steinmeier such as “murderer Germany” and “supporter of genocide”.

There were scuffles with demonstrators as security forces intervened, an AFP reporter witnessed.

Germany is a strong supporter of Israel while Erdogan supports Palestinian militant group Hamas – something which has been a recent source of strain between Ankara and Berlin.

With reporting by Rachel Loxton