Germany: 25 arrested on suspicion of planning armed coup, overthrowing government
- About 3,000 officers searched 130 sites in 11 German states against adherents of the so-called Reich Citizens movement
- Some members of the grouping reject Germany’s post-war constitution and have called for the overthrow of the government
Thousands of police carried out a series of raids across much of Germany on Wednesday against suspected far-right extremists who allegedly sought to overthrow the state in an armed coup.
Federal prosecutors said some 3,000 officers conducted searches at 130 sites in 11 of Germany’s 16 states against adherents of the so-called Reich Citizens movement. Some members of the grouping reject Germany’s post-war constitution and have called for the overthrow of the government.
Justice Minister Marco Buschmann described the raids as an “anti-terrorism operation,” adding that the suspects may have planned an armed attack on institutions of the state.
Prosecutors said 22 German citizens were detained on suspicion of “membership in a terrorist organisation.” Three other people, including a Russian citizen, are suspected of supporting the organisation, they said.
Weekly Der Spiegel reported that locations searched include the barracks of Germany’s special forces unit KSK in the southwestern town of Calw. The unit has in the past been scrutinised over alleged far-right involvement by some soldiers.
An active soldier in the Bundeswehr’s Special Forces Command (KSK) and several Bundeswehr reservists are suspects in the case, a spokesperson for the Military Counter-Intelligence Service (MAD) said.
