Germany arrests six alleged right-wing terrorists
On Monday, Germany’s federal prosecutor’s office arrested six men in Saxony and Bavaria on suspicion of forming an armed right-wing terrorist organization.
The suspects, men aged 20-31, were “pursuing a revolutionary goal based on their right-wing extremist convictions,” in which they were planning violent and armed attacks on foreigners and political dissidents, the prosecutor’s office said in a statement.
They had allegedly planned for a violent attack to take place on German Reunification Day on Wednesday.
According to the authorities, several apartments and other premises in Saxony are being searched, and more than 100 Saxony police officers are involved in the operation.
The six arrested Germans are suspected, among other things, of having founded a right-wing terrorist organization called the Chemnitz Revolution together with 31-year-old Christian K, who was already arrested by the public prosecutor’s office on September 14th. They are also suspected of having tried to purchase semi-automatic weapons.
The investigators also accuse the suspects of a racist attack on the Schlossteich island in Chemnitz. On September 14th, Christian K. and Sten E., Martin H., Marcel W. and Sven W. - armed with glass bottles, quartz gloves and an electrical impulse device - are said to have attacked and injured several migrants. They acted together with violent supporters of other right-wing extremists groups.
One of the victims was injured by the throwing of a glass bottle at the back of his head. According to the investigators, the attack was a "test run" for an attack this upcoming Wednesday, German Reunification Day.
According to previous findings, the suspects belong to the hooligan, skinhead and neo-Nazi scene in the Chemnitz area, and are said to have seen themselves as leading figures in Saxony's right-wing extremist scene.
"With the arrests and raids, we are sending a clear signal that we are identifying and breaking up such right-wing terrorist structures early," said Saxony interior minister Roland Wöller.
Germany's Justice Minister Katarina Barley highlighted the suspects' links to the football hooligan, skinhead and neo-Nazi scenes and warned that "the network under investigation does not stand in isolation."
The arrest of the suspects follows xenophobic unrest in Chemnitz, which took place late August and through September following the death of a man, allegedly by an asylum seeker, on August 26th. Authorities did not say if the suspects were involved.
Extremist far-right groups took to the streets in a serious of riots and protests, in scenes that shocked Germany and were condemned by politicians, including Angela Merkel. A number of people were arrested by police for showing the Hitler salute during the unrest.
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The suspects, men aged 20-31, were “pursuing a revolutionary goal based on their right-wing extremist convictions,” in which they were planning violent and armed attacks on foreigners and political dissidents, the prosecutor’s office said in a statement.
They had allegedly planned for a violent attack to take place on German Reunification Day on Wednesday.
According to the authorities, several apartments and other premises in Saxony are being searched, and more than 100 Saxony police officers are involved in the operation.
The six arrested Germans are suspected, among other things, of having founded a right-wing terrorist organization called the Chemnitz Revolution together with 31-year-old Christian K, who was already arrested by the public prosecutor’s office on September 14th. They are also suspected of having tried to purchase semi-automatic weapons.
The investigators also accuse the suspects of a racist attack on the Schlossteich island in Chemnitz. On September 14th, Christian K. and Sten E., Martin H., Marcel W. and Sven W. - armed with glass bottles, quartz gloves and an electrical impulse device - are said to have attacked and injured several migrants. They acted together with violent supporters of other right-wing extremists groups.
One of the victims was injured by the throwing of a glass bottle at the back of his head. According to the investigators, the attack was a "test run" for an attack this upcoming Wednesday, German Reunification Day.
According to previous findings, the suspects belong to the hooligan, skinhead and neo-Nazi scene in the Chemnitz area, and are said to have seen themselves as leading figures in Saxony's right-wing extremist scene.
"With the arrests and raids, we are sending a clear signal that we are identifying and breaking up such right-wing terrorist structures early," said Saxony interior minister Roland Wöller.
Germany's Justice Minister Katarina Barley highlighted the suspects' links to the football hooligan, skinhead and neo-Nazi scenes and warned that "the network under investigation does not stand in isolation."
The arrest of the suspects follows xenophobic unrest in Chemnitz, which took place late August and through September following the death of a man, allegedly by an asylum seeker, on August 26th. Authorities did not say if the suspects were involved.
Extremist far-right groups took to the streets in a serious of riots and protests, in scenes that shocked Germany and were condemned by politicians, including Angela Merkel. A number of people were arrested by police for showing the Hitler salute during the unrest.
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