Chinese couple arrested for spying at German universities

Two suspected Chinese spies were arrested in Munich for spying at German universities, the Federal Prosecutor's Office announced Wednesday.

The couple, who are German citizens, are alleged to have contacted researchers at German universities on behalf of a Chinese intelligence agency.

According to the information provided, their aim was to obtain "scientific information on high-tech technologies with military applications."

Simultaneously with the arrests, operations took place in several German states -- Baden-Wurttemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Brandenburg, Lower Saxony, and North Rhine-Westphalia.

According to the Federal Prosecutor's Office, the operations targeted individuals listed as witnesses, not suspects.

In Munich, the homes and workplaces of the two arrested individuals were searched.

German scientists lured to China

The alleged spies' contacts included "in particular professors in the fields of aerospace engineering, computer science, and artificial intelligence," the authorities said.

The accused are said to have posed as both interpreters and employees of an automobile manufacturer.

"Some scientists were lured to China under the pretext of giving paid lectures to a civilian audience. In reality, however, such lectures were then delivered to representatives of state-owned defense companies," the Federal Prosecutor's Office said.

The arrested couple is scheduled to appear later in the day before the investigating judge at the Federal Court of Justice, who will serve them with arrest warrants and decide on pretrial detention.