Mr. E., prosecutors say, made three trips from Germany to Russia in fall 2022. Meeting with operatives from the Russian agency, the F.S.B., at a restaurant and an apartment in Moscow, he is accused of bringing them material that was classified as “top secret” by German intelligence, part of which originated from partner agencies in other Western countries. The Russian agents in return gave him a list of 12 questions. During one dinner they are said to have handed Mr. E. four envelopes, taped shut and containing hundreds of thousands of euros in cash.
Prosecutors accuse Mr. Linke of having searched for specific highly classified material using databases and by putting in official requests with his colleagues. Then, they say, he both printed out material and photographed it from his screen using a phone Mr. E. had supplied and smuggled both through internal controls to the outside, where he handed them to Mr. E.
Mr. E. was arrested in Florida a few weeks after the police arrested Mr. Linke in Berlin. Before being accompanied to Germany, where he was handed to the federal police, Mr. E. had given extensive interviews to the F.B.I.
The trial is being held under unusually stringent security conditions. Journalists are searched at two separate control points. Computers, phones, jewelry, and even pens may not be taken into the courtroom (the court supplies its own pens for reporters). Even the chief justice of the court, Detlev Schmidt, had to take off his watch before entering. Inside the courtroom are many yards of white shelving holding 49 thick binders: Judges and attorneys are not allowed to take the binders out of the courtroom, and photocopies and scans are not permitted to prevent the information contained within from leaking.
Mr. Linke, a father of two and children’s soccer coach, first entered the ornate early-20th century courtroom on Wednesday. Sporting a dark blue suit, a light blue button-down, an expensive watch and a fresh haircut, he sat in the glass prisoner box taking notes. As an intelligence worker, he had top secret clearance for the 15 years he worked for the B.N.D. His last stint, which only lasted a couple of months, was as director of the vetting department, which does background checks on newly hired staff.
