German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) has released Arne Schönbohm, the chairman of the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI). A spokesperson for her ministry announced this in Berlin on Tuesday.
The “Mirror” had previously reported about it. Schönbohm has been criticized for not being distanced from Russian secret service circles through the controversial association “Cyber Security Council Germany”. According to the Ministry of the Interior, it has not yet been decided who will succeed him.
“trust damaged”
The minister decided to immediately ban Schönbohm from “doing official business as chairman of the BSI”, the spokesman said. The background to this is not least the allegations that are known and widely discussed in the media. These would have “permanently damaged the necessary public confidence in the government’s neutrality and impartiality as chairman of Germany’s main cybersecurity authority”. This is all the more true in the current crisis situation regarding Russian hybrid warfare. The allegations in the room also had consequences for the minister’s essential relationship of trust in the conduct of office.
While there was talk of a “pawn sacrifice” in union circles, the Interior Ministry said on Tuesday the decision was made “also out of concern for the person who is himself at the center of the debate”. It is also in the interest of the BSI’s more than 1,500 employees, who can now do their jobs independently of personal speculation.
Regardless of this, “all known allegations would be thoroughly and vigorously investigated and subject to a thorough review”. Until the conclusion of this investigation, the presumption of innocence applies to Schönbohm.
Active in a controversial club
According to information from the German news agency, Faeser was annoyed that the BSI boss continued to maintain contacts with the controversial “Cyber Security Council Germany” association, which he co-founded and led ten years ago, but recently closed due to connections with Russian. that were criticized by the secret services.
Schönbohm’s connection to the controversial club had previously been discussed by Jan Böhmermann in the “ZDF Magazin Royale” program. On the one hand, it concerned the Russia contacts of the “Cyber-Sicherheitsrat Deutschland eV”. On the other hand, the article focused on the Berlin cybersecurity company Protelion, which until recently was a member of the “Cyber Security Council Germany eV”.
The company operated under the name Infotecs GmbH until the end of March. This is a subsidiary of the Russian cybersecurity company OAOInfotecs, which according to information from the research network Policy Network Analytics was founded by a former employee of the Russian intelligence service KGB. He received a medal of honor from Russian President Vladimir Putin for his work.
Last Monday, the association announced that the company had been excluded. “The actions of Protelion GmbH are a violation of the club goals of the Cyber Security Council Germany eV,” said the club president, Hans-Wilhelm Dünn. The allegations in the room are incompatible with the fight against cybercrime and the promotion of cybersecurity. Criticism of thin was also heard in security circles. Apparently he was not sufficiently aware of the problem with regard to certain contacts with Russia.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
