Merkel Denies Cover-Up of COVID Lab Leak Report

Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has denied allegations that she covered up a report from the Federal Intelligence Service (BND) which suggested a high probability that the Covid-19 pandemic originated from a laboratory accident in Wuhan, China. Investigative reports from Die Zeit and Süddeutsche Zeitung claim that the BND assessed the likelihood of a lab leak to be between 80 and 95 percent in 2020 but was instructed to keep the findings confidential. Both Merkel and her successor, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, reportedly did not disclose this information, fearing political fallout and potential diplomatic complications with China and the U.S. The BND's investigation included evidence of high-risk experiments and safety breaches at the Wuhan Institute of Virology. Critics argue that suppressing this intelligence may have hindered global public health responses to the pandemic. A government spokesperson stated that intelligence matters would not be publicly discussed, maintaining a stance of confidentiality.