German Intelligence Findings on COVID-19 Lab Origin Resurface, Raising Transparency Concerns

The German government faces criticism for withholding intelligence suggesting a high probability of a lab origin for SARS-CoV-2, as international pressure mounts for greater transparency.

The German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) assessed in 2020 that SARS-CoV-2 likely originated from a laboratory in Wuhan, with an 80-95% probability.
The findings stemmed from Operation 'Saaremaa,' which uncovered evidence of gain-of-function experiments and safety issues at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
Despite these findings, the German government chose to classify the information, citing the need to protect foreign relations.
The CIA revised its stance on the virus's origin in early 2025, now considering a lab origin more likely, influenced by the BND's findings.
Criticism has grown over the German government’s lack of transparency and its failure to investigate the leak of classified intelligence.

Preußische Allgemeine Zeitung