Germany: extremists plotted to storm parliament and overthrow the government

In Germany, law enforcement officers are conducting a special operation against far-right extremists who plan to kidnap politicians and storm the Bundestag. Relevant events are taking place today, December 7.

Source: Der Spiegel

Large-scale operation in Germany

Searches are taking place in 130 apartments, offices, and warehouses, including the barracks of the Special Forces Command in Kalva in Baden-Württemberg.

Law enforcement officers have detained 25 men and women who allegedly wanted to storm the parliament and overthrow the government. A total of 52 suspects are investigated for membership or support of a terrorist organization.

It is known that the far-right terrorist group was recruited mainly from representatives of the so-called “Reichsbürger” organization. “The Reichsbürger rejected the existing German state system and wanted to replace it with an undemocratic one.

Suspects plotted an armed attack on the Bundestag

The suspects have been planning an armed attack on the Bundestag and the capture of politicians since November 2021. The attackers were counting on the outbreak of unrest as a result of their actions and a “coup” in Germany.

This is one of the most significant police operations against extremists that have been conducted in Germany.

Connections with Russia investigated

Law enforcement officers are also investigating the suspects’ connections with Russia. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office announced that a Russian citizen is detained on suspicion of plotting a coup d’état in Germany.

On Wednesday morning, a few minutes before the start of the search, one of the suspects wrote on Telegram: “Everything will change: former prosecutors and judges, as well as responsible heads of health authorities and their curators, will soon find themselves in Nuremberg 2.0.”

According to the investigators’ conclusions, the conspiratorial structure was divided into a political wing, which received the name “Council,” and a military wing, whose task was an armed uprising. According to the investigation, individual conspirators of the security forces, among other things, were considering an attack on the Bundestag and taking parliamentarians hostage.

In April 2022 four members of a Reichsbürger group called “Vereinte Patrioten” were detained for plotting to overthrow the government. 

They planned to destroy electrical substations and power lines through bomb attacks to cause a nationwide blackout to create ‘civil war-like’ conditions. Two members are also alleged to have been plotting to kidnap the German health minister Karl Lauterbach.