Part 4/6:
The conversation further delves into Germany’s intelligence capabilities, particularly its external service known as the Bundesnachrichtendienst (BND). Though Germany has a robust technical intelligence collection focus, internal skepticism towards its intelligence services persists, influenced by past historical surveillance of their own citizens.
Interestingly, the BND is recognized for its technical prowess, which allows it to identify espionage activities, even if it cannot always prevent them. The importance of technical intelligence is underscored, with comparisons drawn to the French intelligence service, the DGSE, known for industrial and economic espionage.