German authorities announced on Friday that security forces have seized hundreds of firearms and tens of thousands of ammunition rounds during investigations against an extremist right-wing group plotting a coup in the country. The group, led by the suspect Heinrich Preints Rweis, is aimed at violently overthrowing Germany’s political system and establishing a new government.
According to the Ministry of Justice, as of now, “362 firearms, 347 bladed weapons, and 148,761 pieces of ammunition” have been recovered. The numbers are still preliminary as investigations into the confiscated weapons are not yet completed.
In a statement, Mansfeld-Südharz district authorities said there was a massive, multi-hour operation in eastern Germany. They revealed that numerous weapons were seized but didn’t specify the exact numbers and types of confiscated arms. The weapons were pulled due to the “lack of required credibility according to weapons law among members of the Reich Citizens’ Movement,” said the statement.
This comes after the Office of the Attorney General, in December 2022, arrested more than 20 suspects in Germany, Austria, and Italy. Among them were former officials and police officers. On December 7, 2022, German security forces foiled a coup attempt, detaining 25 individuals from among more than 50 suspects. This operation was one of the largest in German history, involving search operations in 11 out of Germany’s 16 federal states and more than 130 homes and apartments.
This large-scale crackdown on far-right extremism, particularly aiming at thwarting an attempted coup, reflects an ongoing concern about rising political violence in Germany. Germany has been plagued by a series of attacks by right-wing extremists in recent years, putting both the public and authorities on high alert.
In summary, the operation by German security forces highlights the substantial risk and urgency associated with far-right extremism in the country. While this significant seizure of weapons may have averted an immediate threat, it serves as a stark reminder that the fight against domestic terrorism is far from over.
