German coup plotters had purchased over 360 firearms: Government

By Anadolu staff

BERLIN (AA) - A group of far-right figures and ex-military officers, who plotted a coup in Germany last year, had procured hundreds of firearms and tens of thousands of ammunition, local media reported on Friday.

After uncovering the plot in December, the police began searching properties belonging to the group members and their supporters, and have so far seized 17 explosive devices, 362 firearms, and over 148,000 pieces of ammunition, according to Der Spiegel weekly.

The figures, which were disclosed for the first time by the government in response to a parliamentary question, revealed that the group had acquired far more weapons than previously known.

The key members of the far-right group, which was led by German aristocrat Heinrich Reuss, were arrested in December. The police conducted further raids in the following months and arrested more suspects linked with the coup plot.

Currently, investigations are being carried out against 69 suspects, and a majority of them are followers of the far-right Reichsburger (Reich Citizens) movement.

According to prosecutors, the group which called itself “Patriotic Union” planned sensational actions such as storming the German parliament and kidnapping politicians, in order to cause civil war-like conditions in the country, and eventually overthrow the government.

Birgit Malsack-Winkemann, a former lawmaker of the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD), was among the suspects and she was picked up as the justice minister of the coup regime.

The far-right group also included several ex-military officers, one active soldier from the Special Forces Command, two non-active soldiers, and reservists.