Austrian arrested

Terror cell uncovered: eight right-wing extremists in custody

The eight men arrested are strongly suspected of being members of an extreme right-wing domestic terrorist organization.

(Bild: APA/AFP/Thomas Lohnes)

The German Federal Prosecutor's Office has arrested eight suspected right-wing terrorists from the "Saxon Separatists" group in Germany and Poland. During the raid, the suspected AfD politician Kurt H. was apparently injured by a shot fired from a gun. Two other suspects are also said to have links to the AfD. 

The federal prosecutor's office had eight men arrested in Saxony on Tuesday. They are strongly suspected of being members of an extreme right-wing domestic terrorist organization called the "Saxon Separatists", as the Karlsruhe authorities announced on Tuesday.

AfD politician injured by gunshot
During the raid, the suspected AfD politician Kurt H. was apparently injured by a shot from a gun. According to security sources from the German magazine Spiegel, shots were fired during H.'s arrest in Grimme, Saxony, this morning.

According to the report, the politician grabbed a carbine during the arrest and the authorities then fired two warning shots. H. then fell to the ground with a wound to his jaw. Whether it was a police bullet or a bullet from H.'s own weapon remained unclear at first, according to investigators. H. has served as treasurer of the Saxon AfD youth organization Junge Alternative (JA) since October and is also a member of the city council of the municipality of Grimma in Saxony.

Two other AfD politicians suspected of crimes
Two other suspects are also said to have links to the AfD. Kevin R. sits on committees for the AfD in Grimma, such as the social, culture, youth and sports committees. In 2021, he was also media representative and representative for the YES in the AfD's Leipziger Land district association. Hans-Georg P. was appointed to the East District Advisory Council by the Leipzig AfD in 2021.

"Deep rejection of democracy"
The German nationals were arrested early in the morning on the basis of arrest warrants in various locations in and around Leipzig, in Dresden, in the Saxon district of Meißen and in Zgorzelec, Poland. Searches are also being carried out in Austria. The premises of "non-suspects" in Vienna and in the district of Krems-Land were affected. A total of eight men aged between 21 and 25 were arrested in the course of the operation.

The group was founded in November 2020 at the latest. "This is a militant group consisting of fifteen to twenty people whose ideology is characterized by racist, anti-Semitic and in parts apocalyptic ideas," the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe stated. "Its members are united by a deep rejection of the free and democratic basic order of the Federal Republic of Germany."

The eight men are accused of belonging to an association that calls itself the "Saxon Separatists".

(Bild: www.viennareport.at)

"Ethnic cleansing" planned
According to the information, the association assumes that Germany is on the verge of a "collapse". If the state and society collapse, the group wants to conquer areas in Saxony and possibly also in other East German states by force of arms "in order to establish a state and society based on National Socialism". Unwanted groups of people are to be removed from the area through "ethnic cleansing" if necessary.

It is a great success that the Federal Public Prosecutor General and the security authorities have succeeded in uncovering these outrageous plans and arresting those responsible.

 Justizminister Marco Buschmann (FDP)

Four of those arrested are said to have been among the original members, one is said to have been the leader. According to the federal prosecutor's office, the others joined later. They had repeatedly undergone paramilitary training with combat equipment. "In particular, they practiced house-to-house combat, the use of firearms, night and forced marches as well as patrols," the Federal Court of Justice explained. The group also acquired military equipment such as camouflage suits, combat helmets, gas masks and protective vests.

Bushman locates success of the authorities' investigation
The oldest of them is 25 years old. "It is a great success that the Federal Public Prosecutor General and the security authorities have succeeded in uncovering these outrageous plans and arresting those responsible," said German Justice Minister Marco Buschmann. At the same time, this successful investigation reminds us once again: "Our constitutional state and the free and democratic basic order are under threat from many sides."

"The fact that they trained in the use of weapons and procured military equipment shows how dangerous these right-wing extremists are," said German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser. She referred to the early investigation of the group by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution.

Those arrested are to be brought before the investigating judge at the German Federal Court of Justice on Tuesday and Wednesday, who will decide on their pre-trial detention. In Germany alone, more than 450 security forces and police officers from the Federal Criminal Police Office, special forces from the Federal Police and the Saxony State Criminal Police Office were deployed.

The measures in Austria were implemented by the State Protection and Intelligence Service Directorate, while those in Poland were carried out by the Agencja Bezpieczeństwa Wewnętrznego.