Günter Krings, the Deputy Parliamentary Group Leader of the Union and former State Secretary in the Federal Ministry of the Interior, has called for a complete investigation and further consequences within the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) following the arrest of the former BND chief, Hanning.
Speaking to ARD’s “Bericht aus Berlin” on Sunday, Krings raised a critical question: how can the authorities properly verify whether senior former employees of the service utilized their existing knowledge? Although he believes that after 20 years, when he personally left the service, the historical knowledge might no longer be current, he suggests that informants-and certainly at least one from within the service-must have been present. He emphasized the need for a much stricter attitude regarding the approval of dual employment for individuals who worked within the service while simultaneously engaging in side activities in similar fields. He found it difficult to understand how this could have been allowed to happen. He stressed that there are numerous areas that could be addressed and improved.
Regarding the planned reforms of the intelligence agencies, Krings maintains that they are necessary and should not be abandoned or even delayed. He argues that collaborative trust between different services is essential. He pointed out the difficulties services face when they are uncertain about their own rights or whether they can still provide information if they lack the necessary powers. If one service expects information and then receives nothing from others because it cannot contribute anything itself, the reform is vital. The core task, he concluded, is figuring out how to improve the infrastructure and capabilities of these institutions.
