Wagner's rebellion: the head of German foreign intelligence heard by the Bundestag

The Foreign Affairs Committee of the Bundestag summoned Bruno Kahl, the head of the BND, foreign intelligence service, on Wednesday 5 July. The parliamentarians accuse the institution of not having informed them in time of the mutiny of the Wagner militia in Russia two weeks ago.

German foreign intelligence chief Bruno Kahl at the Bundestag, Berlin, November 16, 2018. AP - Michael Sohn

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With our correspondent in Berlin, Nathalie Versieux

This time, Bruno Kahl got away with a yellow card. After his hearing before the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Bundestag, several politicians defended the head of German foreign intelligence. But it would take more to reassure Germany while for two weeks the press has been full of articles claiming that unlike their American or British colleagues, German intelligence specialists did not see Wagner's mutiny coming.

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It is not possible that the BND is always surprised by everything. If there are deficiencies, we must talk about them and put an end to them," SPD defence specialist Ralf Stegner threatened last week. The list of deficiencies is indeed growing. The BND was thus "surprised" by the launch of the invasion of Ukraine last year, or the return of the Taliban to power in the summer of 2021.

A question of bureaucracy according to a former head of the BND. And to criticize the straightjacket of authorizations and control bodies, which weigh on an institution subject to the authority of Parliament.

" READ ALSO Wagner rebellion in Russia: "It will be necessary to focus on the traces that it will leave"

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