Former employee of Krah will be revealed to have started on August 15th, not 007.
The trial of Jian G., a former aide to far-right German lawmaker Maximilian Krah, is currently underway in Dresden, Germany. Jian G., a German citizen of Chinese descent, is charged with espionage on behalf of Chinese intelligence services dating back to 2002.
The prosecution alleges that Jian G., during his time working for Krah, unlawfully obtained over 500 documents, including those labeled particularly sensitive by the European Parliament. He is accused of passing these sensitive and classified information to Chinese intelligence between September 2019 and April 2024.
The defendant is also suspected of spying on the Chinese exile opposition in Germany, in addition to the EU Parliament and the AfD. Some of the documents have poetic names like "Morning Tea" and "Project Artificial Diamonds." The content of the dossiers will be part of the trial.
In the "Morning Tea" document, Jian G. reported on a conversation with Maximilian Krah, discussing private details about party leader Alice Weidel and her partner's child, and an alleged coup attempt by co-chairman Tino Chrupalla against Weidel.
A second defendant, a Chinese national named Yaqi X., is charged with assisting Jian G. by providing information about flights, cargo, passengers, and military equipment transport at Leipzig Airport related to German defense connections.
The trial highlights espionage aimed at German political and military matters and could have implications for the AfD party, particularly if sensitive information collected by Jian G. is revealed. Krah himself is under separate investigation for money laundering and corruption linked to Jian G.'s business activities but denies discussing internal party issues with Jian G.
The defendant's case is considered unprecedented in Germany for the scope of surveillance of political and public life. If found guilty, Jian G. faces a maximum penalty of ten years in prison.
The appearance of Maximilian Krah is scheduled for September 3rd in the trial against the defendant. The trial is a significant legal and political issue unfolding this year in Dresden.
[1] European Parliament documents leaked by Jian G. [2] Money laundering and corruption investigation against Maximilian Krah [3] Allegations of spying on Chinese dissidents in Germany [4] Espionage for China from Brussels office of AfD member of parliament Maximilian Krah.
The Commission has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of the environment, given the sensitivity of the European Parliament documents leaked by Jian G., as politics and general-news headlines continue to unfold, alongside crime-and-justice investigations against Maximilian Krah, who is under separate investigation for money laundering and corruption linked to Jian G.'s business activities.
