German AfD MPs suspected of collecting secret military data for russia - Spiegel

The German far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) is suspected of systematically collecting classified information about the country's defense capabilities and critical infrastructure with the aim of further transferring this data to tussia. It was reported by Der Spiegel.

According to the report, AfD MPs regularly sent the government inquiries regarding details of military transportation, cyber defense, countering drones, and the security of strategic facilities. German law enforcement agencies fear that the data obtained could be used in the interests of the kremlin.

Thuringia's Interior Minister Georg Mayer said that the AfD "abuses the parliamentary right of inquiry to investigate the country's critical infrastructure," and called the party's actions"fulfillment of the tasks set by the Kremlin."

The chairman of the Bundestag's defense committee, Thomas Röwekamp, also noted that the AfD "deliberately asks questions that reveal the weaknesses of the Bundeswehr." In his opinion, such detail "has nothing to do with normal parliamentary control"and may indicate the collection of sensitive information for a foreign state.

The German Ministry of Defense, according to Der Spiegel, shares these concerns. The ministry believes that the actions of AfD MPs can be coordinated. The party was particularly interested in cyber defense, drones, and the operation of state data centers.

"Detailed answers to such questions can be extremely useful for Russian hackers and military analysts," Der Spiegel notes.

The ruling coalition is already talking about the "obvious ties" of AfD with the tussian embassy in Berlin. Minister Mayer emphasized that the party maintains "close contacts not only with Russia, but also with China."

Chairman of the CDU/CSU faction Jens Spahn said that "the suspicion of working for an enemy state is the most serious of all possible charges." According to him, if the AfD leader Alice Weidel does not provide convincing explanations, she may be recognized as an "accomplice to possible treason."

Recall that the new head of Germany's Federal Intelligence Service (BND), Martin Jaeger, said that the aggressor country russia intends to "test the strength" of the European Union's borders.