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North Wales Chronicle
22-05-2025
- Politics
- North Wales Chronicle
Five teenagers held after far-right group planned attacks, German police say
The early-morning arrests in various parts of Germany were accompanied by searches at 13 properties, federal prosecutors said. Four of those arrested – identified only as Benjamin H, Ben-Maxim H, Lenny M and Jason R, in line with German privacy rules – are suspected of membership in a domestic terror organisation. The fifth, Jerome M, is accused of supporting the group. Two of the arrested also are accused of attempted murder and aggravated arson. All are aged between 14 and 18. Prosecutors said they are also investigating three other people, aged 18 to 21, who are already in custody. All the suspects are German citizens. According to the prosecutors, the group was formed in mid-April 2024 or earlier. They said that its members saw themselves as the last resort to defend the 'German nation' and aimed to bring about the collapse of Germany's democratic order. Two of the suspects set a fire at a cultural centre in Altdobern in eastern Germany in October, prosecutors said, adding that several people living in the building at the time escaped injury only by chance. In January, another two suspects allegedly broke a window at a home for asylum-seekers in Schmolln and tried unsuccessfully to start a blaze by setting off fireworks. They daubed the group's initials and slogans such as 'Foreigners out,' 'Germany for the Germans' and 'Nazi area' on the walls, as well as swastikas, prosecutors said. Also in January, three suspects allegedly planned an arson attack on a home for asylum-seekers in Senftenberg, but it never came about because of the earlier arrests of two of the men. Justice minister Stefanie Hubig said it was 'particularly shocking' that all of those arrested on Wednesday were minors at the time the group was allegedly founded. 'This is an alarm signal and it shows that right-wing extremist terrorism knows no age,' Ms Hubig said. In a separate case a week ago, German authorities banned a far-right group called 'Kingdom of Germany' as a threat to the country's democratic order and arrested four of its alleged leaders. In an annual report released on Tuesday, the Federal Criminal Police Office said that the number of violent crimes with a right-wing motivation was up 17.2% last year to 1,488. That was part of an overall increase in violent politically motivated offences to 4,107, an increase of 15.3%.
Leader Live
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Leader Live
Five teenagers held after far-right group planned attacks, German police say
The early-morning arrests in various parts of Germany were accompanied by searches at 13 properties, federal prosecutors said. Four of those arrested – identified only as Benjamin H, Ben-Maxim H, Lenny M and Jason R, in line with German privacy rules – are suspected of membership in a domestic terror organisation. The fifth, Jerome M, is accused of supporting the group. Two of the arrested also are accused of attempted murder and aggravated arson. All are aged between 14 and 18. Prosecutors said they are also investigating three other people, aged 18 to 21, who are already in custody. All the suspects are German citizens. According to the prosecutors, the group was formed in mid-April 2024 or earlier. They said that its members saw themselves as the last resort to defend the 'German nation' and aimed to bring about the collapse of Germany's democratic order. Two of the suspects set a fire at a cultural centre in Altdobern in eastern Germany in October, prosecutors said, adding that several people living in the building at the time escaped injury only by chance. In January, another two suspects allegedly broke a window at a home for asylum-seekers in Schmolln and tried unsuccessfully to start a blaze by setting off fireworks. They daubed the group's initials and slogans such as 'Foreigners out,' 'Germany for the Germans' and 'Nazi area' on the walls, as well as swastikas, prosecutors said. Also in January, three suspects allegedly planned an arson attack on a home for asylum-seekers in Senftenberg, but it never came about because of the earlier arrests of two of the men. Justice minister Stefanie Hubig said it was 'particularly shocking' that all of those arrested on Wednesday were minors at the time the group was allegedly founded. 'This is an alarm signal and it shows that right-wing extremist terrorism knows no age,' Ms Hubig said. In a separate case a week ago, German authorities banned a far-right group called 'Kingdom of Germany' as a threat to the country's democratic order and arrested four of its alleged leaders. In an annual report released on Tuesday, the Federal Criminal Police Office said that the number of violent crimes with a right-wing motivation was up 17.2% last year to 1,488. That was part of an overall increase in violent politically motivated offences to 4,107, an increase of 15.3%.
The Guardian
21-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
German police arrest teenage neo-Nazis for alleged attacks on migrants
German police have staged early morning raids against an alleged far-right 'terrorist' cell on suspicion of attacks against asylum seekers and political enemies, arresting five teenage suspects, federal prosecutors said. The operation on Wednesday targeting a neo-Nazi group calling itself 'Last Defence Wave' marked the latest high-profile action against groups Germany says are working to destabilise its democratic order. Four of those arrested – named only as Benjamin H, Ben-Maxim H, Lenny M and Jason R, in line with German privacy rules – are suspected of membership of a 'domestic terror organisation'. The fifth, Jerome M, is accused of supporting the group. Two of the suspects are accused of attempted murder and aggravated arson. All five are German citizens between the ages of 14 and 18. Prosecutors said in a statement they were also investigating three other people, aged 18 to 21, who are already in custody in connection with the case. The arrests took place in three states and were accompanied by searches at 13 properties in five regions. Authorities believe the Last Defence Wave group began in April 2024 at the latest. The justice minister, Stefanie Hubig, said what was 'particularly shocking is that all those arrested today are said to have been minors when the terrorist group was founded'. 'This is an alarm signal and it shows that rightwing extremist terrorism knows no age,' she said in a statement. Prosecutors said the group's members 'see themselves as the last line of defence of the 'German nation''. Their intent is 'to bring about the collapse of the democratic system in the Federal Republic of Germany through acts of violence, primarily against migrants and political opponents'. Two of the suspects allegedly set fire to a cultural centre in the eastern town Altdöbern in October, prosecutors said, adding that several people living at the property at the time were lucky to escape. Ben-Maxim H is believed to have written a speech delivered in a video by Lenny M before the arson attack, encouraging other group members to commit similar acts. The public broadcaster ARD said online chats linked to the group and including about 200 people glorified the Nazi regime and propagated large scale, politically motivated attacks. In January, another two suspects allegedly smashed a window at a home for asylum-seekers in Schmölln, eastern Germany and tried unsuccessfully to start a blaze by setting off fireworks inside, prosecutors said. They are believed to have sprayed the group's initials on a wall, swastikas and slogans such as 'foreigners out', 'Germany for the Germans' and 'Nazi territory' while flashing the straight-armed Hitler salute. The same month, three suspects allegedly planned an arson attack on a shelter for asylum-seekers in the eastern town of Senftenberg and acquired explosive material from the Czech Republic. But the alleged plot was foiled because of the earlier arrests of two members, reportedly using the findings of an undercover television reporter. News magazine Der Spiegel said Last Defence Wave actively recruited new members using Instagram, TikTok, Telegram and WhatsApp, setting a minimum age of 15. Investigators found more than 70 chat groups across the country with what they say are links to the group. Der Spiegel quoted experts as saying the surge in youth interest in violent neo-Nazi groups recalled the notorious 'baseball-bat years' after national reunification in 1990 when a wave of racist, homophobic and anti-leftist attacks rocked Germany. In a separate case last week, authorities outlawed a cult-like far-right group called 'Kingdom of Germany' as a threat to the country's democratic order and arrested four of its alleged organisers including the ringleader Peter Fitzek, the self-proclaimed Peter I. The Federal Criminal Police Office said in an annual report released on Tuesday that the number of violent crimes with a rightwing motive in Germany was up more than 17% last year to 1,488. That was part of an overall 15% increase in violent politically motivated offences to 4,107.
Rhyl Journal
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Rhyl Journal
Five teenagers held after far-right group planned attacks, German police say
The early-morning arrests in various parts of Germany were accompanied by searches at 13 properties, federal prosecutors said. Four of those arrested – identified only as Benjamin H, Ben-Maxim H, Lenny M and Jason R, in line with German privacy rules – are suspected of membership in a domestic terror organisation. The fifth, Jerome M, is accused of supporting the group. Two of the arrested also are accused of attempted murder and aggravated arson. All are aged between 14 and 18. Prosecutors said they are also investigating three other people, aged 18 to 21, who are already in custody. All the suspects are German citizens. According to the prosecutors, the group was formed in mid-April 2024 or earlier. They said that its members saw themselves as the last resort to defend the 'German nation' and aimed to bring about the collapse of Germany's democratic order. Two of the suspects set a fire at a cultural centre in Altdobern in eastern Germany in October, prosecutors said, adding that several people living in the building at the time escaped injury only by chance. In January, another two suspects allegedly broke a window at a home for asylum-seekers in Schmolln and tried unsuccessfully to start a blaze by setting off fireworks. They daubed the group's initials and slogans such as 'Foreigners out,' 'Germany for the Germans' and 'Nazi area' on the walls, as well as swastikas, prosecutors said. Also in January, three suspects allegedly planned an arson attack on a home for asylum-seekers in Senftenberg, but it never came about because of the earlier arrests of two of the men. Justice minister Stefanie Hubig said it was 'particularly shocking' that all of those arrested on Wednesday were minors at the time the group was allegedly founded. 'This is an alarm signal and it shows that right-wing extremist terrorism knows no age,' Ms Hubig said. In a separate case a week ago, German authorities banned a far-right group called 'Kingdom of Germany' as a threat to the country's democratic order and arrested four of its alleged leaders. In an annual report released on Tuesday, the Federal Criminal Police Office said that the number of violent crimes with a right-wing motivation was up 17.2% last year to 1,488. That was part of an overall increase in violent politically motivated offences to 4,107, an increase of 15.3%.
Saudi Gazette
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Saudi Gazette
Germany arrests five teenagers over alleged right-wing extremist plot and attacks
BERLIN — German police on Wednesday arrested five teenagers linked to a right-wing extremist group that allegedly intended to carry out attacks on migrants and political opponents. The early morning arrests across several states in Germany followed raids on 13 properties associated with the self-styled "The Last Wave of Defense", federal prosecutors said in a statement. Four of those arrested — identified only as Benjamin H, Ben-Maxim H, Lenny M and Jason R, in line with German privacy rules — are suspected of membership of a domestic terror organization. The fifth, Jerome M, is accused of supporting the group. Two of the individuals are also accused of attempted murder and aggravated arson. All five are between the ages of 14 and 18. Prosecutors said they are also investigating three other people, between the ages of 18 and 21, who are already in custody. All of the suspects are German citizens. The extremist group was formed in April 2024, according to prosecutors. They said its members saw themselves as the last resort to defend the "German nation" and aimed to destabilize Germany's democratic order, with attacks on homes for asylum seekers and on facilities associated with the left-wing political spectrum. Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig said it was "particularly shocking" that all of those arrested on Wednesday were minors at the time the group was allegedly founded. "This is an alarm signal and it shows that right-wing extremist terrorism knows no age," Hubig said in a statement. Two of the suspects set a fire at a cultural center in Altdöbern in eastern Germany in October, prosecutors said, adding that several people living in the building at the time only escaped injury by chance. In January, another two suspects allegedly broke a window at a home for asylum seekers in Schmölln and tried unsuccessfully to start a blaze by setting off fireworks. They daubed the group's initials and slogans such as "Foreigners out", "Germany for the Germans" and "Nazi area," as well as swastikas, according to prosecutors. Separately that month, three suspects had allegedly planned an arson attack on a home for asylum seekers in Senftenberg, but did not carry it out because of the earlier arrests of two of the men. In a different case last week, authorities banned a far-right group called "Kingdom of Germany" as a threat to the country's democracy and arrested four of its alleged leaders. An annual report released this week by the Federal Criminal Police Office showed that the number of violent crimes with a right-wing motivation rose 17.2% last year to 1,488. That was part of an overall increase in violent, politically motivated offenses to 4,107, a year-on-year increase of 15.3%. — Euronews
