The police secures the area after 25 suspected members and supporters of a far-right terrorist group were arrested on December 7, 2022 in Frankfurt, Germany. TILMAN BLASSHOFER REUTERS BERLIN -- Twenty-five alleged members and supporters of a far-right terrorist group suspected of trying to overthrow the German state were arrested early on Wednesday during raids across Germany, the federal prosecutor's office said.
One active soldier and several reservists are being investigated, a spokesman for the military intelligence service BAMAD told Reuters. It said the active soldier is a member of the Special Forces Command.
The office has accused the suspects of preparing to carry out actions based on their ideology since the end of November 2021 at the latest. It added that these actions include purchasing equipment, recruiting new members and holding shooting lessons.
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The recruitment efforts were primarily centered on members of the military and police officers, the office said.
More than 3,000 police officials and security forces conducted the raids in 11 German federal states, the prosecutors said.
There were arrests in the German states of Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Hesse, Lower Saxony, Saxony, Thuringia, as well as Austria and Italy, according to the office.
The BAMAD said they had worked with the prosecutors on their investigation and shared information with the domestic intelligence service and federal criminal investigators in the run up to Wednesday's raids.