GERMAN POLICE ARREST 25 ON SUSPICION OF PLANNING ARMED FAR-RIGHT COUP

Wed 07 December 2022:

Thousands of police officers raided suspected far-right extremists who allegedly sought to overthrow the state in an armed coup across much of Germany on Wednesday.

Authorities in Germany have arrested 25 members and supporters of a far-right group on suspicion of plotting a violent coup against the government. According to the prosecutor’s office, 3000 police officers conducted raids across the country, and suspects were apprehended in Baden-Württemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Hesse, Lower Saxony, Saxony, Thuringia, as well as Austria and Italy. Authorities also suspected them of plotting an armed attack on the parliament.

On Wednesday and Thursday, the suspects will appear before a judge at the Federal Court of Justice.

A spokesperson for the military intelligence service told Reuters that the people detained by the authorities included an active member of the military, some members of the military reserve force and a former parliamentary lawmaker from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD).

According to The Guardian, the planning for the alleged attack started in November 2021 and the group was recruiting new members and acquiring weapons and equipment. The recruitment process mainly focused on current or previous members of the German military or the police department.

The spokesperson went on to say that the group was aware of the potential for loss of life as a result of the plan’s execution and saw it as a “necessary intermediate step.”

The prosecutor’s office also stated that one of the detained suspects sought assistance from Russian representatives. However, there was no official response from Russian representatives.

While 22 German citizens were detained on suspicion of “membership in a terrorist organization,” the three other people detained were suspected of supporting the organization.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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