Now it can also be inconvenient for the special investigator himself. The supervision of the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office (AB-BA) is now also deploying an extraordinary public prosecutor against its appointed special federal prosecutor, Peter Marti (70). A Special Counsel who must investigate the Special Counsel! The AB-BA confirms this to Blick.
The reason is a criminal complaint from Alain Bersets (50) former head of communications Peter Lauener (52). Federal Councilman Berset’s former Interior Department employee (EDI) was temporarily arrested in the spring with a request for pre-trial detention. However, the request was denied by the court. According to lawyers, this is quite unusual and could indicate that the allegations against Lauener were not well founded. Lauener defended himself with a complaint against Marti.
AB-BA is forced to intervene
The retired Zurich Chief Justice Marti was actually tasked with finding the leak that leaked confidential information about the crypto affair to the public. But in the meantime, he is investigating other cases of violation of the official secret, as the “SonntagsZeitung” reported. It could therefore be about Corona decisions of the Federal Council. Confidential information was repeatedly leaked to the media during the pandemic.
The German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) and the US Foreign Intelligence Service (CIA) covertly bought the Zug company Crypto AG in the 1970s. This sold encryption devices for encrypting secret communications around the world.
Investigations by TV channels SRF and ZDF and the newspaper “Washington Post” found that the crypto devices had been manipulated in such a way that the secret services could read the communication despite the encryption. More than a hundred states are said to have been affected by the wiretapping operation, which came out in 2020.
Parliament’s audit delegation then launched an inquiry. She concluded that the federal councilors knew nothing about the wiretapping operation. Defense Minister Viola Amherd was only informed by the intelligence service in 2019.
The German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) and the US Foreign Intelligence Service (CIA) covertly bought the Zug company Crypto AG in the 1970s. This sold encryption devices for encrypting secret communications around the world.
Investigations by TV channels SRF and ZDF and the newspaper “Washington Post” found that the crypto devices had been manipulated in such a way that the secret services could read the communication despite the encryption. More than a hundred states are said to have been affected by the wiretapping operation, which came out in 2020.
Parliament’s audit delegation then launched an inquiry. She concluded that the federal councilors knew nothing about the wiretapping operation. Defense Minister Viola Amherd was only informed by the intelligence service in 2019.
Since then, Marti has learned to fear politicians and federal officials. But now he himself is threatened with problems. Section 67 of the Organization of Criminal Procedures Act provides that the AB-BA must appoint an independent extraordinary prosecutor in criminal charges against federal prosecutors, the regulator explains to Blick. “The AB-BA has no discretion in this regard.” So she has to use another special detective.
Special prosecutor sentenced to wait
The AB-BA emphasizes that an independent person must decide whether the advertisement is justified or not. There is, among other things, the suspicion of abuse of office by Marti. If Lauener’s arrest was illegal, deprivation of liberty could even be considered a crime. The presumption of innocence applies to Marti as well as to everyone else involved.
The supervisor emphasizes that the criminal complaint has no influence on the ongoing investigations of Special Investigator Marti. The hands of the extraordinary federal prosecutor are currently tied for another reason. He has to wait for a decision from the court for coercive measures in Bern. The latter must decide whether data such as e-mails, letters or SMS, which either have nothing to do with the criminal proceedings or are specially protected, can be made accessible for investigative purposes.
Compared to Blick, Special Agent Peter Marti declined to comment on the charges against him or on his investigations. (dba)