Explosive agent cell

Marsalek’s team had our security in their sights

Marsalek's espionage cell could still be active in Austria.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/APA/AFP/Police Munich/Handout, stock.adobe.com/Gualtiero Boffi)

The espionage activities of ex-Wirecard manager Jan Marsalek are becoming increasingly widespread. It has now come to light that a cell of agents surrounding the spy who fled to Russia also had our innermost security in their sights. In addition to the head of DSN, a well-known editor-in-chief was also spied on.

The explosive case became public on Friday due to an investigation by the Vienna Public Prosecutor's Office (StA). As revealed by "Profil" and the "Süddeutsche Zeitung", a Bulgarian gang was allegedly incited by Marsalek to spy on prominent personalities in Austria.

State security agents in the eye of the spies
Specifically, the international ring of agents is said to have spied on none other than the Director of the Directorate of State Security and Intelligence (DSN), Haijawi-Pirchner. In addition, two other state security officers, the former provincial police commander of Vienna and now ÖVP provincial party chairman Karl Mahrer and the former head of cabinet of an interior minister.

With Haijawi-Pirchner as a target, the espionage plot surrounding Jan Marsalek takes on a whole new dimension.

(Bild: APA/EVA MANHART)

But the well-known former "Presse" journalist and now "Profil" editor-in-chief Anna Thalhammer is also said to have been a target of the Marsalek gang.

Bulgarian woman wants to know nothing about espionage
A Bulgarian woman living in Vienna was identified as a key member of the gang. She is said to have been in the vicinity of the "Presse" editorial building on several occasions and to have received orders from other members of the gang - most of whom are now on trial in Great Britain.

Woman thought she was working for Interpol
According to the research, the Bulgarian woman does not deny the allegations, but she thought she was acting legally. She was initially told that it was a student project, but then the explanation changed to the effect that the people behind it were allegedly acting on behalf of Interpol against the Bulgarian investigative journalist Christo Grosew.

The woman is therefore defending herself against the accusation of espionage - and remains at liberty for the time being under conditions, although the public prosecutor's office had requested pre-trial detention.

MI5 provided important information
The Marsalek group operated from the UK - after several members were arrested there, two confessions have already been made. Three other people are still on trial in London. According to "Profil" information, the Austria tip-off now came directly from the British secret service MI5, which seized 80,000 chat messages from the Marsalek gang, which are now being analyzed by various investigative authorities in Europe

Marsalek group still active in our country?
Marsalek collected information "with the support of local groups in Austria", which was then summarized in reports and forwarded to Russia, the newspaper quotes from the report by the public prosecutor's office. The domestic security authorities assume that there are still active intelligence cells in Austria that are directed by Marsalek.