UPDATE - Germany arrests 8 neo-Nazis over suspected terrorism plots

UPDATES WITH MORE DETAILS

By Anadolu staff

BERLIN (AA) - German authorities conducted early morning raids across the eastern state of Saxony on Tuesday, arresting the leading members of a far-right terrorist group.

The suspects are accused of forming a terrorist group known as the "Saxonian Separatists” that planned to seize control in parts of the country, the Federal Prosecutor's Office said in a statement.

Seven suspects were arrested in and around Leipzig and Dresden, with one suspect apprehended in neighboring Poland.

Kurt H., a local politician from the far-right AfD party, was among those arrested, according to a report by Der Spiegel weekly.

“This is a militant group consisting of 15 to 20 people whose ideology is characterized by racist, antisemitic and, in some cases, apocalyptic ideas,” prosecutors said in a statement.

“Its members share a deep rejection of the free and democratic basic order of the Federal Republic of Germany,” they added.

Investigators believe the group was preparing for a "Day X" scenario, based on their belief that Germany was on the verge of "collapse."

They anticipated that on this day, though its exact timing remains uncertain, the state and society would disintegrate. In this scenario, the group allegedly planned to use armed force to seize control of areas in Saxony and potentially other eastern German states.

The suspects' ultimate goal was to establish a Nazi-style state and society, and they also planned to carry out "ethnic cleansing" to remove certain groups from the areas they would control.

Prosecutors stated that the group made “continuous preparations for the perceived inevitable and violent change of government," with members repeatedly engaging in paramilitary training while wearing combat gear.

According to officials, the group specifically practiced urban warfare, firearms handling, nocturnal and loaded marching, as well as patrolling.

Furthermore, they procured military hardware, including camouflage fatigues, combat helmets, gas masks, and bullet-proof vests.

The arrests came amid growing concerns about far-right extremism in Germany, particularly in the former East German states. Authorities have stepped up efforts to combat right-wing terrorism following a series of high-profile attacks in recent years.