BERLIN (AP) — A Moroccan citizen was arrested Monday in the western Cologne area for possible spying and his premises were searched, Germany’s federal prosecutor’s office said.

The man, only identified as Mohamed A. in line with German privacy rules, “is strongly suspected of having worked for a Moroccan intelligence service since mid-April 2021 at the latest,” the prosecutor's statement said.

The suspect allegedly spied on supporters of HIRAK, a large Moroccan protest movement, who were living in Germany. The statement said the defendant demanded money for his services and that he transmitted information on one person.

Later Monday the accused was brought before an investigating judge at Germany's federal supreme court who opened the arrest warrant for him and ordered pre-trial detention.