Germany dismantles terror group planning to attack Muslims

German police have dismantled a far-right terrorist group that was planning to attack Muslims, asylum seekers and politicians, arresting 12 suspects, including one of its own officers.

The Federal Prosecutor’s Office (GBA) said on Friday four of the suspects had founded a “terrorist organization” in September last year that aimed to “shake and eventually destroy the democratic system and social cohesion of the federal republic.”

The other eight men were arrested on suspicion of financially supporting the group and providing it with weapons, it added.

According to the prosecutors, the suspects held regular meetings and were contacting each other by phone and using messenger apps.

The GBA said, “For the purpose of creating conditions that resemble a civil war, attacks that were not yet concrete against politicians, asylum seekers and members of the Muslim faith were planned.”

The arrests followed raids on 13 locations in six German states, during which several weapons were found.

A source at the interior ministry in North-Rhine Westphalia state noted that a police officer previously suspended over suspicions he had links to the far-right was among those detained on Friday.

Germany has seen an increase in hate crimes in recent months, prompting the country to expand a crackdown on right-wing political violence in order to tackle the situation.

MG