After criticism
Secret service used against ex-BSI boss Schönbohm? Faeser stays away from the special session
Still in office at the time: Arne Schönbohm received Interior Minister Nancy Faeser at the BSI in August 2022
© Rolf Vennenbernd / DPA
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser still has to deal with the dismissal of former BSI boss Arne Schönbohm. The minister was represented at a special meeting of the interior committee. Meanwhile, Schönbohm is suing for damages from the Ministry of the Interior.
After the dismissal of the former President of the Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), Arne Schönbohm, Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser continues to be criticized. In October 2022, she had removed the cyber security chief from his post. Schönbohm was previously accused in an issue of “ZDF Magazin Royal” by moderator Jan Böhmermann of being too close to an association with alleged contacts to Russian secret services. However, the allegations were never substantiated.
Today the CDU/CSU parliamentary group requested a special meeting of the interior committee to deal with the Schönbohm case. An alleged use of an intelligence service in preliminary disciplinary proceedings against Schönbohm was also an issue.
A spokeswoman for the Federal Ministry of the Interior rejected the allegations. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution has not carried out any intelligence measures against Schönbohm, she said star. In the special session, the Ministry of the Interior pointed out that the preliminary examination for the initiation of disciplinary proceedings was based on the legal basis. “Thoroughness comes before speed. During a preliminary examination as to whether disciplinary proceedings will be initiated, all incriminating and exculpatory circumstances are carefully examined. Existing findings from other authorities are also queried,” said the BMI spokeswoman.
Or to put it more simply: the Ministry of the Interior does not want Schönbohm to have bugged or monitored him. Existing findings of the Office for the Protection of the Constitution may very well have been queried.
Protection of the Constitution instrumentalised?
Federal Interior Minister Faeser herself apologized to the Interior Committee on Tuesday due to a doctor’s appointment. A parliamentary state secretary took her place.
Criticism came in advance from the Union. “If the media reports are correct, it will finally be clear that Ms. Faeser dismissed Mr. Schönbohm for no reason,” said Andrea Lindholz, deputy chairwoman of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group.
“Above all, however, the accusation that the Federal Minister of the Interior used the Office for the Protection of the Constitution as an instrument to justify her decision retrospectively, based on the ministry files, weighs extremely heavily,” said Lindholz.
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Compensation of 5000 euros
Already on Friday it became public that Arne Schönbohm is demanding damages from the federal government. In the lawsuit, Schönbohm asserts a claim for damages of 5,000 euros for a breach of the civil servant’s duty of care. A spokesman for the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) said: “As usual, the BMI cannot comment on possible individual personnel matters.”
According to Schönbohm’s lawyer, the Federal Republic of Germany is the opponent for procedural reasons. “In this case, however, misconduct by the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Homeland and specifically by the management staff working there, including the Federal Minister herself, is being reprimanded.” This misconduct consisted in the fact that the preliminary disciplinary investigations against Schönbohm were continued even after it had already been established that the allegations made against him were unfounded. First, a claim for damages of 5000 euros is asserted. “However, Mr. Schönbohm expressly reserved the right to increase the claim at a later date,” the lawyer continued.
A few days earlier, it had already become known that Schönbohm, through another lawyer, was also demanding compensation of 100,000 euros and a cease and desist from ZDF. The public broadcaster had rejected this. At the complaint level, the whole thing is not yet.
Sources: Bundestag, CDU/CSU parliamentary groupDPA news agency