In brief
Christina Block, the 53‑year‑old heir to a popular chain of German steakhouses, is on trial for ordering a violent abduction of her own children from Denmark. Prosecutors claim the operation was executed by an Israeli security team and involved former German and Israeli agents. Investigation into the case has uncovered evidence that former German foreign intelligence chief August Hanning was implicated in a separate, earlier attempt to abduct the children, leading to his own arrest on treason charges. The trial, already delayed by missing witnesses, has placed Germany’s legal and security apparatus under intense scrutiny and has prompted widespread speculation about international espionage links.
Christina Block, the 53‑year‑old heir to a popular chain of German steakhouses, is on trial for ordering a violent abduction of her own children from Denmark. The prosecution alleges that Block and her family lawyer, Andreas Costard, instructed a 36‑year‑old Israeli citizen named “Jonathan G” to lead the kidnapping during New Year’s celebrations 2023‑24, targeting her two youngest children who were then visiting her former husband in Denmark.
The operation allegedly involved several men who ambushed, beat, and forced the children into a vehicle, after which the group changed cars near the German border, tied the girl’s hands and gagged both children. The children were reportedly held in a campervan in Baden‑Württemberg until Block returned on 2 January 2024 to reclaim them.
Investigations have unearthed links to former intelligence operatives. Prosecutors say the Israeli security team may have been acting on its own initiative, but noted that Block's partner Gerhard Delling and others were charged with aiding and abetting. The Israeli team’s head, David Barkay, a former Mossad agent, testified that Block and Costard had knowledge of the plan.
While the trial rattles Germany’s courts, it has triggered scrutiny of the country’s former intelligence chief, August Hanning. Police uncovered documents in Hanning’s home that suggest he purchased 2,000 state‑secret files from a former chief of staff and allegedly passed them to foreign powers. Hanning has been arrested on treason charges; his lawyer calls the indictment “unjustly persecuted.”
Throughout the proceedings, the trial has been delayed multiple times. A recent pause came when a key witness – the new wife of former husband Stephan Hensel – failed to appear in court, curtailing proceedings for two weeks.
