German Government Faces Criticism Over Suppression of Lab-Leak Intelligence

Revelations of classified BND findings supporting a lab origin for SARS-CoV-2 intensify calls for transparency and accountability.

The German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) assessed with 80-95% probability that SARS-CoV-2 originated from a laboratory in Wuhan, China, based on findings from its 2020 operation 'Saaremaa.'
The German government, citing foreign relations concerns, has withheld these findings and refused to comment on whether key figures like Christian Drosten had access to classified information.
BND findings include evidence of gain-of-function experiments and safety lapses at the Wuhan Institute of Virology, raising further questions about the virus's origins.
The CIA revised its assessment in early 2025, now considering a lab origin more likely, after being briefed on the BND findings in late 2024.
Public and scientific scrutiny has intensified, with calls for greater transparency as the German government continues to avoid investigating media leaks of the classified intelligence.