The plot, including attacks on infrastructure, revealed serious national security concerns as authorities crack down on extremist groups.
**Five Sentenced for Far-Right Kidnapping Plot Against German Minister**
**Five Sentenced for Far-Right Kidnapping Plot Against German Minister**
Five members of a far-right faction face prison time for planning to kidnap Germany's health minister. Their scheme aimed to incite civil unrest.
Five members of a far-right faction in Germany have received prison sentences for their conspiracy to kidnap Health Minister Karl Lauterbach and overthrow the government. Described as ringleaders of a "terrorist organization," the defendants aimed to incite a civil war-like atmosphere through violence and sabotage, including an attack on the power grid.
The Koblenz higher regional court disclosed that the organized group formed in January 2022, targeting Lauterbach due to his stringent Covid-19 measures. They planned to kill his bodyguards if necessary during the kidnapping attempt. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser labeled their actions as an "enormous threat" to national security.
The sentences ranged from two years and ten months to eight years and nine months, with some defendants being men aged 46 to 58 and a 77-year-old woman. Their identities remain undisclosed to the public. The group is linked to the so-called "Citizens of the Reich," a movement that disputes the legitimacy of post-World War I Germany.
Key to the conspiracy was Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss, a German aristocrat leading the group, which also drew inspiration from the QAnon conspiracy theory. After the ruling, Lauterbach expressed gratitude towards law enforcement and emphasized the state's ability to counter violent conspiracies.
Faeser reaffirmed that the government is committed to defending democracy, taking the risks from radical factions seriously. The convictions mark a significant step in addressing the rise of far-right extremism in Germany, targeting various groups questioning the modern state's authority.
The Koblenz higher regional court disclosed that the organized group formed in January 2022, targeting Lauterbach due to his stringent Covid-19 measures. They planned to kill his bodyguards if necessary during the kidnapping attempt. Interior Minister Nancy Faeser labeled their actions as an "enormous threat" to national security.
The sentences ranged from two years and ten months to eight years and nine months, with some defendants being men aged 46 to 58 and a 77-year-old woman. Their identities remain undisclosed to the public. The group is linked to the so-called "Citizens of the Reich," a movement that disputes the legitimacy of post-World War I Germany.
Key to the conspiracy was Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss, a German aristocrat leading the group, which also drew inspiration from the QAnon conspiracy theory. After the ruling, Lauterbach expressed gratitude towards law enforcement and emphasized the state's ability to counter violent conspiracies.
Faeser reaffirmed that the government is committed to defending democracy, taking the risks from radical factions seriously. The convictions mark a significant step in addressing the rise of far-right extremism in Germany, targeting various groups questioning the modern state's authority.
