
Germany arrests suspected US spy - etimberg
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-28160767
======
nikcub
Important additional info from the original Der Spiegel report[0]

The suspect initially offered his services to Russian intelligence for
financial gain. Apparently this is what alerted him to German counterintel.
There was then an offer made to a representative of the USA.

But most important, Spiegel reports that it hasn't been confirmed yet that
this USA representative was actually American or acting in the capacity of the
government, suggesting that it may have been a counterintelligence operation.

[0] [http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/bnd-mitarbeiter-
so...](http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/bnd-mitarbeiter-soll-fuer-
die-usa-spioniert-haben-a-979199.html)

~~~
chmars
The guy got arrested because it was thought that he had been spying for the
Russians. That explains the arrest then an American spy would never get
arrested in Germany, Americans – even American spies – are considered
'friends' after all.

That is probably why Chancellor Merkel had to call President Obama: To explain
why the Germans caused such embarrassment by arresting an American spy …

~~~
e12e
Sadly, you're probably mostly right -- but let's not forget the story of
Robert Seldon Lady in Italy. On occasion European states do the right thing,
despite being in bed with the US on most things, international law be dammed.

[http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/07/18...](http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/07/18/the-
story-of-how-a-milan-cia-station-chief-became-a-fugitive-now-caught-in-
panama/)

------
leaveyou
Every time "Germany" and "privacy" end up in the same sentence, inevitably
there will be a reference to STASI. There is also a subtle message there:
Germans only care about their privacy because of STASI. As if the others that
had not been subjected to STASI methods of surveillance should not be worried.
"If you see something, keep calm and carry on"... edit: more quotes

~~~
nabla9
Stasi is relevant because methods Stasi used are relevant.

Stasi considered arrests and torture to be ineffective and crude methods when
controlling people. They wanted something that was harder to detect even for
the victims. The oppression and surveillance Stasi directed towards typical
citizen or dissident was not brutal as in "you have to fear for your life",
especially in the last decades of DDR.

Stasi perfected the technique called Zersetzung. It was form of psychological
harassment and character assassination that maintained plausibe deniability.
They falsified information and caused mental stress. For high value targets it
could include breaking into their house and altering furniture. For most
people it was the threat of being inconvenienced, life being derailed and
social relationships disrupted. Not getting into school, not getting the job
or apartment you wanted. False rumors about you. Social relationships being
broken. No-fly list for your life.

There is potential for the same thing happening in the west as a result of
more efficient surveillance. Some black box algorithm determines that this guy
acts in a way that is above some threshold and your life will be somewhat more
shitty from that day onward. You just don't know why.

~~~
saryant
I recently read _The File_ by Timothy Garton Ash, a British journalist who
spent a fair amount of time in East Germany in the last decade of the DDR.
After reunification he was able to obtain his Stasi file. He learned how the
Stasi perceived him as a risk and began contacting those who snitched on him.

The stories of how some of the informants _became_ informants are fascinating.
One cooperated with the Stasi in order to obtain exit visas for official
travel. Some were Ash's friends seeking to boost their careers, some were just
pleased to do their part in furthering the cause of socialism.

Ash was never imprisoned or tortured and could leave whenever he pleased
(though he was eventually barred from entering the DDR). He didn't really
suffer at the hands of the Stasi but the book is a terrific look at the
Stasi's surveillance and intimidation through the eyes of a single individual.

[http://www.amazon.com/The-File-A-Personal-
History/dp/0679777...](http://www.amazon.com/The-File-A-Personal-
History/dp/0679777857)

~~~
weinzierl
"he was able to obtain his Stasi file" sounds a bit like this was something
special (I'm sorry if this is wrong, English is not my first language).

Just to clarify:

"Everyone has the right to inspect those documents that created the STASI
about themselves. More than a half million people have made use of this option
since 1992."[1]

[1]
[http://www.bstu.bund.de/DE/Akteneinsicht/Privatpersonen/Priv...](http://www.bstu.bund.de/DE/Akteneinsicht/Privatpersonen/Privatpersonen_node.html)
(loose translation)

~~~
saryant
That might just be poor wording on my part. Ash doesn't try to make it out as
something exclusive, he devotes a significant portion of the book to Germany's
efforts to bring the Stasi's work to light and the effects of that effort on
German reunification.

------
thomaslutz
It's about time something happens.

