Germany arrests eight suspected members of far-right militant group

Police officers escort an arrested man in Karlsruhe, south-west Germany

German police have arrested eight suspected members of a far-right group, which was allegedly plotting to mount a Nazi-inspired coup.

Prosecutors said the group - known as the Saechsische Separatisten or "Saxony Separatists" - was undertaking military training for the collapse of the German government and society, which it believed would come on an unspecified "Day X".

After that date, the group allegedly planned to seize control over areas of eastern Germany by force and establish a far-right regime.

More than 450 officers carried out searches and arrests across Germany, Austria and Poland in an effort to dismantle the group.

Prosecutors said the group planned to create a government "inspired by National Socialism" - the far-right totalitarian ideology associated with Adolf Hitler's Nazi Party.

The eight suspects have been partially named as Kurt H, Karl K, Kevin M, Hans-Georg P, Kevin R, Jörg S, Jörn S and Norman T.

Seven of them were arrested Germany, while Jörg S - the group's suspected ringleader - was arrested in Poland.

Further searches were carried out in Vienna and the Krems-Land District of Austria.

All eight have been arrested on suspicion of being members of a domestic terrorist organisation.

Hundreds of security and law enforcement personnel carried out searches and arrests across three countries

The Saxon Separatists was formed in 2020 and has between 15 to 20 members, according to German prosecutors.

The group's ideology is characterised by "racist, anti-Semitic and partially apocalyptic ideas", prosecutors said.

"The organisation believes beyond doubt that Germany is nearing 'collapse' and that the government and society will implode on 'Day X'," they added.

After overtaking parts of the country via urban warfare, the group allegedly plans to remove "unwanted groups of people" from these areas by means of "ethnic cleansing".

Members of the group, including the eight arrested suspects, "repeatedly completed paramilitary training in combat gear", prosecutors said.

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser thanked the security services who she said had broken up "another suspected terrorist group of militant right-wing extremists".

It comes after a separate alleged coup plot, led by the so-called Reichsbuerger movement, was exposed in 2022.

That group, once dismissed as crackpots, allegedly planned to arrest MPs in Berlin on a day it also dubbed "Day X".

The plot would have seen 72-year-old aristocrat Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss installed as "head of state", prosecutors alleged at the time. Prince Reuss has denied involvement.

When nine members of the group, including Prince Reuss, went on trial in May this year, their defence lawyer said: "They're not terrorists. They're slightly crazy."

On Tuesday and Wednesday, the suspected members of the Saxony Separatists will appear before a judge, who will read out arrest warrants and make decisions about their pre-trial detention.