World

German police arrest far-right extremists ‘plotting to overthrow state’

German police have arrested 25 suspected far-right extremists allegedly plotting to overthrow the state in an armed coup.

About 30,000 police carried out a series of raids across Germany on Wednesday and arrested members of a group called the Reich Citizen movement.

Federal prosecutors said 22 German citizens were detained on suspicion of “membership in a terrorist organisation”, and three people, including a Russian citizen, are suspected of supporting the group.

Police conducted searches at 130 sites in 11 of Germany’s 16 states, including the barracks of Germany’s special unit KSK in the southwestern town of Calw, according to Der Spiegel. The unit itself has in the past been investigated over alleged far-right involvement by some soldiers.

Prosecutors said that those arrested allegedly formed a “terrorist organisation with the goal of overturning the existing state order in Germany and replacing it with their own form of state, which was already in the course of being founded”.

The suspected ringleaders have been identified as Heinrich XIII P. R. and Ruediger v. P, in line with German privacy rules.

The group planned to install Heinrich XIII P. R. as Germany’s new leader, according to prosecutors and had already contacted Russian officials with the aim to negotiate a new order in the country once the German government has been overthrown.

Another person detained was identified by prosecutors as Birgit M.-W. She is a former judge and lawmaker with the far-right Alternative for Germany party which has become increasingly scrutinised by German security due to its extremist ties, according to Der Spiegel.

Xural.com

Related Articles

Bir cavab yazın

Sizin e-poçt ünvanınız dərc edilməyəcəkdir. Gərəkli sahələr * ilə işarələnmişdir

Back to top button