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The Airbus employees involved allegedly obtained secret files from the German army. REUTERS / Regis Duvignau

German media reported Sunday (December 1st) that the European aviation giant Airbus has dismissed 16 employees in connection with an investigation into suspicions of industrial espionage.

The German magazine Welt am Sonntag was the first to report the dismissal of 16 Airbus employees. An investigation was opened last September by the Munich public prosecutor's office. Sources within the European aircraft manufacturer had just informed the authorities of suspicions of internal industrial espionage by employees of Airbus.

The people concerned worked within the Munich-based Line Communications, Intelligence and Security Program, which deals with cybersecurity and related activities. According to the German media, they were in possession of secret files of the German army concerning, inter alia, the acquisition of a communication system.

Airbus for its part conducted an internal review with the support of an outside law firm. In a statement, the group declares to cooperate fully with the authorities and justice to resolve this case.