“The fact that representatives of the special services and the military openly intervene in the coalition negotiations that have not yet ended is a wake-up call.

Because, given the role of the Reichswehr and the special services in the end of the Weimar Republic and Hitler’s rise to power, the principle of their submission to civil authorities was strictly observed in modern Germany, at least on paper. Today this tradition has been broken.”

Peter Schwarz — Linke Zeitung

The head of BND, known for traditionally avoiding publicity, spoke very harshly about the ‘Russian threat’ recently. Follow us on Twitter: @INTEL_TODAY

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Last year, following several months of investigationthe Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND) and the Federal Office for Constitutional Protection (BfV) found no evidence of political interference by the Russian government or Russian Intelligence Agencies.

“Russian President Vladimir Putin is not deliberately trying to undermine Chancellor Angela Merkel ahead of her impending re-election campaign – or at least, if he is, he is hiding his tracks well.

That’s the inconclusive conclusion that Germany’s foreign and domestic intelligence agencies came to last fall, following several months of investigation which was delivered to Merkel’s chief-of-staff Peter Altmaier in the form of a 50-page report.” [DW]

The security agencies were initially planning to — at least partially —  disclose their findings. Given the lack of evidence, the 50-page paper was however not be published.

But in recent weeks, Bruno Kahl surprisingly spoke very harshly about the ‘Russian threat’.

“Instead of a partner for European security we have in Russia a potential danger. The world political actor Russia is back — and it will be an uncomfortable neighbor.”

What is going on?

The most likely explanation for the German spy chief’s statements, was put forward by the German newspaper Linke Zeitung.

“The mere fact that Bruno Kahl delivered such a speech is an extraordinary event.

As a rule, the federal intelligence service advises the government behind closed doors and does not interfere in public debate.

The fact that Bruno Kahl made this report a few days before the supposed completion of coalition talks on the formation of a new government and used the CSU party’s site (the Hanns Seidel foundation is the CSU party fund – VK), which was involved in the talks, could be interpreted only as a direct intervention of the security services in the process of forming the government.”

German spy chief sees Russia as danger

BERLIN (Reuters) – Germany’s spy chief has warned that Russia should be seen as a “potential danger” rather than as a partner in building European security and said its big military exercise in summer showed an alarmingly high level of modernisation in its armed forces.

REFERENCES

German spy chief sees Russia as danger, cites military advances — Reuters

Germany — What hides behind BND Boss public Statements about Russia?