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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
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| New Case of Spying Is Alleged by Germany | New Case of Spying Is Alleged by Germany |
| (about 2 months later) | |
| BERLIN — Anger at Washington mounted Wednesday with the disclosure that American intelligence agents were suspected of having recruited a second spy in Germany, this time linked to its Defense Ministry, prompting even robust allies of the United States to suggest that a fundamental reset was needed in one of the most important of trans-Atlantic partnerships. | |
| The federal prosecutor general confirmed that the police had raided at least one apartment and an office in the area of greater Berlin on suspicion that an unidentified man had engaged in espionage. But a joint investigative reporting unit of the daily Süddeutsche Zeitung and two public broadcasters cited anonymous government sources as saying that the man was suspected of passing information to American military intelligence. | The federal prosecutor general confirmed that the police had raided at least one apartment and an office in the area of greater Berlin on suspicion that an unidentified man had engaged in espionage. But a joint investigative reporting unit of the daily Süddeutsche Zeitung and two public broadcasters cited anonymous government sources as saying that the man was suspected of passing information to American military intelligence. |
| The German news agency DPA, also citing anonymous sources, said the suspect worked in the Defense Ministry’s political department on developing international arms cooperation. | The German news agency DPA, also citing anonymous sources, said the suspect worked in the Defense Ministry’s political department on developing international arms cooperation. |
| No further details were made public, and the prosecutor general’s terse statement said no arrest had been made yet. | No further details were made public, and the prosecutor general’s terse statement said no arrest had been made yet. |
| Government officials and politicians here seemed at a loss to convey their shock at this new case, just days after the American ambassador, John B. Emerson, was summoned to the Foreign Ministry over reports that a midlevel employee of Germany’s intelligence service had confessed, after his arrest a week ago, to passing some 200 documents to the Americans, reportedly in exchange for a fee. | Government officials and politicians here seemed at a loss to convey their shock at this new case, just days after the American ambassador, John B. Emerson, was summoned to the Foreign Ministry over reports that a midlevel employee of Germany’s intelligence service had confessed, after his arrest a week ago, to passing some 200 documents to the Americans, reportedly in exchange for a fee. |
| A delegation from Parliament’s foreign affairs committee hastened to New York and Washington this week, but its leader reported that American officials and politicians were slow to grasp the damage to relations. | A delegation from Parliament’s foreign affairs committee hastened to New York and Washington this week, but its leader reported that American officials and politicians were slow to grasp the damage to relations. |
| “At some point, the ‘no comment’ will not be enough,” Norbert Röttgen, the committee’s head and an influential member of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s center-right Christian Democratic Party, said in a telephone interview from Washington. “The U.S. must understand what psychological damage it is inflicting. I think that will be a difficult process.” | “At some point, the ‘no comment’ will not be enough,” Norbert Röttgen, the committee’s head and an influential member of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s center-right Christian Democratic Party, said in a telephone interview from Washington. “The U.S. must understand what psychological damage it is inflicting. I think that will be a difficult process.” |
| At the same time, Mr. Röttgen cautioned his German colleagues to appreciate that Berlin and Washington had profoundly differing views on the role of an intelligence service and should not let this difference permanently damage otherwise strong ties. Analysts have said that Germans have a far more restrictive view of how intelligence agencies should operate and what a fair target is. | At the same time, Mr. Röttgen cautioned his German colleagues to appreciate that Berlin and Washington had profoundly differing views on the role of an intelligence service and should not let this difference permanently damage otherwise strong ties. Analysts have said that Germans have a far more restrictive view of how intelligence agencies should operate and what a fair target is. |
| Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, a Social Democrat who after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks led an effort to tighten cooperation with American intelligence, seemed at a loss to understand why the United States would spy on Germany. | Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, a Social Democrat who after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks led an effort to tighten cooperation with American intelligence, seemed at a loss to understand why the United States would spy on Germany. |
| “We speak to each other all the time, and nobody makes a secret of their views,” he said in an interview published Wednesday by the newspaper Saarbrücker Zeitung. “The attempt to find out about Germany’s position is not just unseemly, it is unnecessary.” | “We speak to each other all the time, and nobody makes a secret of their views,” he said in an interview published Wednesday by the newspaper Saarbrücker Zeitung. “The attempt to find out about Germany’s position is not just unseemly, it is unnecessary.” |
| While the United States has been the target of much German ire, less public outrage has been directed at Germany’s own intelligence chiefs, who — if the current cases are confirmed as espionage — may have to answer for two apparently grave breaches of their own security. | While the United States has been the target of much German ire, less public outrage has been directed at Germany’s own intelligence chiefs, who — if the current cases are confirmed as espionage — may have to answer for two apparently grave breaches of their own security. |
| In Washington, questioning has focused on when the Central Intelligence Agency informed President Obama about the case that resulted in the arrest of the midlevel German intelligence employee last week. | In Washington, questioning has focused on when the Central Intelligence Agency informed President Obama about the case that resulted in the arrest of the midlevel German intelligence employee last week. |
| Mr. Obama and Ms. Merkel spoke by telephone last Thursday in a previously scheduled call that was supposed to focus on, among other things, whether to tighten sanctions against Russia for its apparent unwillingness to defuse the crisis in Ukraine. | Mr. Obama and Ms. Merkel spoke by telephone last Thursday in a previously scheduled call that was supposed to focus on, among other things, whether to tighten sanctions against Russia for its apparent unwillingness to defuse the crisis in Ukraine. |
| At a news conference in Beijing on Monday, Ms. Merkel said that if the first of the two reported cases of American espionage was confirmed, it would be a “serious case” and out of keeping with what she would view as friendly partner relations. | At a news conference in Beijing on Monday, Ms. Merkel said that if the first of the two reported cases of American espionage was confirmed, it would be a “serious case” and out of keeping with what she would view as friendly partner relations. |