Latest news with #LastWaveofDefence
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
German police chief warns of rising right-wing youth radicalization
The head of Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), Holger Münch, has issued a warning about the increasing radicalization of young people within right-wing extremist circles. "For about a year, we've increasingly seen very young people with right-wing views becoming more radicalized and forming, at times, well-organized groups to carry out serious crimes," Münch told the Funke media group of newspapers in remarks published on Saturday. He highlighted the growing role of the internet as a networking space for the far-right scene. "Radicalization, recruitment and mobilization increasingly happen via social networks and right-wing forums," Münch said. The high number and severity of far-right motivated crimes pose a "major challenge" to security agencies, which are responding with increased surveillance, according to Münch. Münch emphasized that tackling the issue is not solely the responsibility of the police, but a challenge that requires joint effort across all parts of society to prevent serious acts of violence. Earlier this week, German federal prosecutors launched a crackdown on a far-right extremist cell accused of plotting violent attacks targeting migrants. Five male suspects aged 14 to 18 were arrested in coordinated raids. The teens are accused of being part of - or in one case supporting - a group that calls itself the Last Wave of Defence. According to prosecutors, the group aimed to destabilize Germany's democratic system through acts of violence, primarily targeting migrants and political opponents.
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Germany targets teens allegedly plotting attacks on migrants
German federal prosecutors launched a crackdown on a suspected far-right extremist cell accused of planning violent attacks, authorities said on Wednesday. In a series of early morning raids, police took into custody five male suspects between the ages of 14 and 18 in the states of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Brandenburg and Hesse, the Federal Prosecutor General's office said. The group they are accused of being a part of calls itself the Last Wave of Defence and is alleged to have plotted attacks targeting refugees and political opponents. "The members of this organization see themselves as the last resort for the defence of the 'German nation,'" the office said in a statement "Their goal is to bring about a collapse of the democratic system in the Federal Republic of Germany through acts of violence, primarily against migrants and political opponents." Four of those detained are accused of membership in a terrorist organization and one of supporting such an organization. The Federal Prosecutor's Office also lists attempted murder, arson and property damage among the charges. Police also began searching 13 properties in the states of Saxony and Thuringia in an operation related to three further German nationals who have already been remanded in custody, prosecutors said. Three of the detained are said to have been ringleaders of the group, which is believed to have been founded around April 2024. In February, investigators in Saxony foiled a suspected planned attack by the group on an asylum shelter in the town of Senftenberg, in the state of Brandenburg near Berlin, thanks to a tip-off by a journalist. That same month police searched a flat and another property in the Saxon city of Meissen, recovering explosives, brass knuckles, one-handed knives, ammunition, alarm guns and airsoft guns, according to prosecutors in Dresden. A 21-year-old German man, who was detained that day, is suspected of having procured the weapons for an attack on the asylum facility in Senftenberg. According to the public prosecutor's office, the explosives were industrially manufactured pyrotechnics. German Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig said it was "particularly shocking" that the five people detained on Wednesday had all been minors at the time the group was founded, stressing the need for policies to counteract the radicalization of young people.
Al Arabiya
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Arabiya
Germany arrests far-right teenagers over asylum seeker attacks
German prosecutors said Wednesday that police had swooped on a group of far-right teenagers alleged to have carried out attacks on asylum seekers and plotted to undermine the government. The suspects, reportedly aged 14 to 18, are said to have been members of a 'right-wing extremist terrorist organisation' founded in April 2024 and known as the 'Last Wave of Defence,' the federal prosecutor's office said. Their aim was '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,' the office said in a statement. Five teenage males — four members and one supporter of the group — were arrested in nationwide raids on Wednesday morning. Two of them, partially identified as Jerome M. and Lenny M., were also accused of attempted murder and arson. Prosecutors said the pair allegedly set fire to a cultural centre in the town of Altdoebern, in the eastern region of Brandenburg, in October. At the time, the building was occupied by several people, who escaped unharmed. Police searched a total of 13 properties during the raids, which also targeted locations linked to three other alleged members of the group who had already been arrested. Two of those suspects had allegedly smashed a window at an asylum seeker shelter in Schmoelln, in the eastern region of Thuringia, in January. They then attempted to start a fire by launching fireworks through the broken window, but failed to ignite a blaze. The pair also spray-painted the building with far-right slogans, including 'Foreigners out,' 'Germany for the Germans,' and 'Nazi territory.' Germany's Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig said in a statement that what was 'particularly shocking is that all those arrested today are said to have been minors when the terrorist group was founded.'
Local Germany
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Local Germany
German police arrest five members of a suspected right-wing terrorist cell
German police arrested five people on Wednesday who are accused of plotting acts of violence with a far-right group which calls itself ' Letzte Verteidigungswelle " or "the Last Wave of Defence". The five suspects were arrested in Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Hesse in the early hours of Wednesday morning. The Federal Prosecutor General in Karlsruhe said the suspects are between 14 and 18 years old. The Associated Press reported that four of the arrested — identified as Benjamin H., Ben-Maxim H., Lenny M. and Jason R. — are suspected of membership in a domestic terror organization, and the fifth, Jerome M., is accused of supporting the group. Members of the group are said to have planned attacks on refugees and political dissidents. Two of the arrested also are accused of attempted murder and aggravated arson. According to the Prosecutor General, searches have been conducted at a total of 13 properties in Saxony and Thuringia. Another three German nationals, aged 18 to 21, are already in custody. What is the 'Last Wave of Defence' The "Last Wave of Defence" is comprised of young neo-Nazis and is active in several German states. It is believed to have been founded in April 2024. The Prosecutor General explained, "Their goal is to bring about a collapse of the democratic system in the Federal Republic of Germany through acts of violence, primarily against migrants and political opponents." A report by Spiegel notes that the group has been recruiting followers via social media such as Instagram, TikTok and Telegram since last year. There are other similar known right-wing extremist groups in Germany, such as: "Jung und Stark" (Young and Strong), "Der Störtrupp" (Disruptive Force) and "Deutsche Jugend Voran" (German Youth Forwards). Advertisement Planned attack on asylum seekers In February, Saxon investigators had prevented an allegedly planned attack on an asylum shelter in Senftenberg, Brandenburg, thanks to information from a journalist. On February 12th, an apartment and another property were searched in Meissen, Saxony. Following the raid, the Dresden Public Prosecutor's Office said "ball bomb" explosives were found, as well as brass knuckles, one-handed knives, ammunition, alarm and airsoft guns. A 21-year-old German was arrested on the day of the search. Research by the same team of reporters also assisted in an investigation of an arson attack on a cultural centre in Altdöbern, Brandenburg in October. The building had been almost completely destroyed by the fire. Two 15 year olds had been arrested in February, but were later released. They were among the young men arrested Wednesday morning. German authorities also believe the group was responsible for spray painting the façade of a refugee shelter in Schmölln, Thuringia with right-wing extremist symbols and xenophobic phrases. "It is particularly shocking that all those arrested today are said to have been minors when the terrorist group was founded," said Federal Minister of Justice Stefanie Hubig (SPD). READ ALSO: 'Society is being radicalised' - Germany sees massive spike in politically motivated crime With reporting by DPA.
