German authorities arrest aide to far-right MEP over espionage

Allegations of passing on internal EU parliament information to China

Assistant arrested, MEP denies wrongdoing

German authorities have arrested an aide to a high-ranking far-right member of the European Parliament on suspicion of espionage. The assistant, who was not named, is accused of passing on internal information from the European Parliament to China.

The arrest was made on Wednesday in the German city of Wuppertal. The assistant was taken into custody and is being questioned by police.

The European Parliament confirmed the arrest and said it was cooperating with the investigation. The Parliament said it takes the allegations of espionage "very seriously" and is "determined to protect the integrity and security of its institutions."

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which the MEP is a member of, has denied any wrongdoing. The party said it is "confident" that the assistant will be cleared of any charges.

The arrest is the latest in a series of incidents involving alleged espionage by Chinese agents in Germany. In recent months, German authorities have arrested several people on suspicion of spying for China, including a former German intelligence officer and a Chinese businessman.

The arrests have raised concerns about the level of Chinese espionage in Germany. German officials have said that they are taking the threat of espionage seriously and are working to counter it.

The arrest of the aide to the far-right MEP is a reminder of the ongoing threat of espionage in Europe. The European Parliament is a key target for foreign intelligence agencies, and the arrest of the assistant shows that even members of the Parliament are not immune to being targeted.