BND assumed laboratory accident early on Merkel and Scholz probably withheld secret coronavirus report
The German secret service BND already considered it highly likely in 2020 that a laboratory accident in China had triggered the coronavirus pandemic. However, the Chancellery kept the findings under lock and key.
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- The German foreign intelligence service BND believes it is likely that a laboratory accident in Wuhan, China, triggered the coronavirus pandemic.
- The BND passed these findings on to the German Chancellery back in 2020.
- Both then Chancellor Angela Merkel and her successor Olaf Scholz kept the information under wraps.
- External experts are currently examining the intelligence service's findings.
Explosive finding: The German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) considers it likely that a laboratory accident in Wuhan, China, was the cause of the coronavirus pandemic. According to information from the Süddeutsche Zeitung and Die Zeit, the German foreign intelligence service came to this conclusion back in 2020. However, the German Chancellery is said to have kept the findings under lock and key.
According to the research, the BND analysis was based on an evaluation of public data. On the other hand, the BND was able to draw on material obtained as part of an intelligence operation codenamed "Saaremaa".
According to the reports, this included scientific data from Chinese research institutions - including the "Wuhan Institute of Virology", one of the leading Chinese institutions for virus research. In addition to evidence of risky experiments in which naturally occurring viruses were artificially modified, the material is also said to show numerous breaches of laboratory safety regulations.
Chancellery keeps explosive BND report under lock and key
The order to investigate the origin of the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus was issued by the German Chancellery itself. While Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) was still in office, BND President Bruno Kahl personally informed the Chancellery about the intelligence operation and the service's assessment.
The laboratory thesis was assessed with a probability of 80 to 95 percent, as reported by "Zeit" and "SZ". The Chancellery nevertheless decided to keep the explosive assessment under lock and key.
The Federal Government did not want to say anything specific about the media reports. It is "good practice" for the government not to comment on intelligence activities and findings, a spokeswoman said. She added that the Federal Government generally informs "in particular the responsible secret committees of the German Bundestag in such matters".
Merkel remains silent
When asked by "Zeit" and "SZ", former Chancellor Merkel did not want to comment on whether she was aware of the matter. The then Minister of the Chancellery, Helge Braun, and the State Secretary responsible for the intelligence services, Johannes Geismann, also declined to comment.
Immediately after the change of government from Merkel to Olaf Scholz (SPD), the head of the BND, Kahl, reportedly informed the Chancellery again. However, the parliamentary control committee of the Bundestag, which is responsible for monitoring the intelligence services, was not informed, nor was the World Health Organization (WHO).
External experts review BND findings
According to the report, the German government decided at the end of last year to commission external experts to review the BND's findings. Since last December, high-ranking external scientists have been examining the validity of the BND's findings on behalf of the Chancellery. The group included the President of the Robert Koch Institute, Lars Schade, and the Berlin virologist Christian Drosten. A final result is not yet available.
The question of the origin of the virus remains a mystery to this day. Clarification is made more difficult because the Chinese government is blocking investigations by the WHO. Years ago, the WHO called on all countries to provide the information available to it.
