Our party stands firmly with the free democratic basic order. We have nothing in common with such a presumably neo-Nazi ‘separatist group,’ neither in terms of content nor in terms of organization
By dpa correspondents I Tuesday, Nov. 06, 2024
SAXONY – German authorities arrested eight suspected members of an extreme right-wing terrorist organization, including a member of Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, dpa learned on Tuesday.
The party member is reportedly a local politician from the eastern German state of Saxony and is allegedly part of the AfD’s youth faction.
The prosecutor’s office described the terrorist group, called the “Saxon Separatists,” as a militant organization of 15 to 20 individuals with an ideology marked by racist, anti-Semitic, and partially apocalyptic beliefs.
Its members, it said, share a profound rejection of Germany’s free and democratic constitutional order.
The group is reportedly convinced that Germany is on the verge of “collapse.” When this happens, it plans to take control of areas in Saxony and possibly other eastern German states by force “to establish a state and society based on National Socialism there,” the prosecutor said in a statement.
It said that according to the group’s plan, “undesired groups of people are to be removed from the area by ethnic cleansing if necessary.”
Authorities carried out raids in Saxony, Poland and Austria.
According to unconfirmed reports from dpa sources, the politician is said to have appeared before the police officers with a long gun during the raid, prompting the police to fire two warning shots.
The reports said the politician sustained a jaw injury during the arrest and is currently undergoing surgery. Witness statements are expected to help clarify how the injury occurred and provide further details on the incident.
The regional branch of the AfD in Saxony rejected any connection to the militant group.
“Our party stands firmly with the free democratic basic order. We have nothing in common with such a presumably neo-Nazi ‘separatist group,’ neither in terms of content nor in terms of organization,” party spokesman Andreas Harlass told dpa.
If the allegations against the politician are confirmed, he will be expelled from the party immediately, a spokesman for the federal party said when asked.
The AfD’s youth faction said too that as far as it is concerned “this is in an independent association that is not organizationally connected to the AfD.”
According to the prosecutor, the group is thought to have been formed in November 2020 at the latest. Four of those detained are said to be among the original members, while one is believed to be the group’s ringleader.
The prosecutor said that the group members had repeatedly undergone paramilitary training with combat equipment: “In particular, they practised urban warfare, handling firearms, night and forced marches, and patrolling.”
The group had obtained military equipment such as camouflage suits, helmets, gas masks and protective vests, it said.
German Justice Minister Marco Buschmann said: “It is a great success that the Federal Public Prosecutor and the security authorities have managed to uncover these monstrous plans and arrest those responsible.”
At the same time, he said that this investigation is a reminder that Germany’s basic order is threatened from many sides.
“The fact that weapons training had been provided and military equipment procured shows how dangerous these right-wing extremists are,” German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said.
The suspects are to be brought before an investigating judge on Tuesday and Wednesday, who will decide on pre-trial detention.
More than 450 members of the security forces and police officers were deployed as part of the operation in Germany alone, according to the prosecutor’s office. The prosecutor said searches are ongoing for seven additional suspects.
