German police have been searching several locations in the eastern state of Saxony as part of an investigation into what they believe was a plot by anti-vaccination activists to murder the prime minister, Michael Kretschmer.
The search in the city of Dresden targeted individual members of a group on the messaging service Telegram, where plans for the killing were discussed in connection with the state government's coronaviruses curbs, police said.
The Dresden Offlinevernetzung group, or Dresden Offlinevernetzung, came to the attention of authorities after an investigation by the broadcaster ZDF last week.
Members of the Telegram group spoke about killing representatives of the Saxony state government at meetings in the city, according to the ZDF report.
Saxony police said on Twitter that special forces took part in Wednesday s raids, after statements by group members suggested they might be in possession of sharp weapons and crossbows.
In recent weeks there have been protests by opponents of Covid restrictions in Saxony, which has the second highest rate of new coronaviruses in Germany and the country s lowest vaccination rate.
A group of protesters held a candlelit gathering outside the home of Saxony's interior minister last month, in what was widely seen as an implicit threat of violence against her.