Several security‑policy politicians in the Bundestag are calling for a thorough review of the newly released U.S. documents concerning Jeffrey Epstein by German prosecutors. They urge prosecutors to “examine the Epstein files closely and, if necessary, request further information from U.S. authorities” Green Party deputy group leader Konstantin von Notz told the “Handelsblatt”. The opposition also demands from the federal government an explanation of whether German intelligence services and other security agencies had knowledge of Epstein’s activities, as well as of the exploitative, criminal or pedophilic networks behind them and their international links.
The chair of the intelligence‑control committee, Marc Henrichmann (CDU), made a similar remark to the “Handelsblatt”. He said that the “unspeakable Epstein enterprises” apparently involved senior actors from society, business and politics. The revelations, he warned, carry significant compromising and extortion potential, and it should be investigated whether they might have influenced decisions that “threaten the security of Germany and Europe”. The parliament will raise these questions with the security agencies.
SPD’s internal affairs spokesman Sebastian Fiedler considers a German connection plausible. “Given the numerous entanglements in European power circles, it is certainly not excluded that links could also extend to Germany” he told the “Handelsblatt”. He pointed to the close cooperation between German and U.S. investigative bodies for criminal prosecution and expects German agencies to be involved in relevant cases. At the same time, Fiedler sees a potential intelligence dimension. If the suspicion raised by Polish former prime minister Donald Tusk of a possible Russian influence operation turns out to be true, “it would raise many follow‑up questions that also concern us here”.
