Right-wing extremism greatest threat to our democracy, Scholz says after coup plot arrests

By Oliver Towfigh Nia

BERLIN (AA) - A spokesman for German Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Wednesday expressed concern over the latest far-right coup plot, saying right-wing extremism remains the greatest danger to the country's democracy.

"In his government statement almost a year ago, the Federal Chancellor said that right-wing extremism is the greatest threat to our democracy. From what we know so far, from the plans of those arrested, it shows how bitter this assessment is," Steffen Heibestreit told media representatives in Berlin.

He stressed that the government would remain "vigilant" when it came to fighting this far-right threat as it would "not tolerate extremism."

Earlier in the day, as many as 25 suspects were arrested after coordinated raids in 11 German states, including Thuringia, Hesse, and Lower Saxony.

The majority of the suspects were followers of the far-right Reichsburger (Reich Citizens) movement accused of forming a terror group to overthrow the democratic, constitutional system in Germany.

Around 3,000 police officers conducted house and office searches of more than 50 suspects in an effort to gather evidence as authorities seized various documents and electronic devices.

A former soldier of Germany's elite KSK anti-terror special forces unit and a number of German army reservists were among the suspects.