German spy accused of being double agent

A German intelligence official has been arrested for spying and accused of passing secrets to a female agent from an eastern European country.

The 64-year-old Federal Intelligence Service employee, whose contact reportedly was from Bulgaria’s secret service, handed information to her between July 2002 and September 2003 during regular meetings in Munich, prosecutors said.

They said he was arrested in October but freed on bail after making a confession.

The man’s tasks at the German spy agency, based outside Munich, included keeping contact with services from Balkan countries, prosecutors said. He was moved to another job in 2001 but kept up contact with the female agent, they said.

Officials have not released his function or identity, or said what secrets he passed on. No trial has been set.

Federal prosecutors have refused to comment on media reports that the man passed information to Bulgaria’s secret service.