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Police in Germany said today they had arrested four people accused of seeking to create a “state of civil war” and take the country’s health minister hostage.
Prosecutors said the group had links to the far right and anti-Covid movements, and among other things sought to destroy power stations to leave the country in darkness.
They sought to take hostage the country’s health minister who has backed tough isolation measures, vaccinations and other coronavirus controls.
A fifth suspect of the group is still at large.
In total, authorities identified 12 people believed to have links to the group, who used messages on the Telegram app to communicate.
The group known as the United Patriots – were part of the Reichsbürger (Citizens of the Reich), who reject the German state and oppose the government’s forced anti-Covid measures, prosecutors said, according to the British network BBC.
Local television, Report Mainz, said the group sought to damage power lines and power stations, and the country’s energy infrastructure.
They had identified a number of public figures as possible targets for the hostages, led by Health Minister Karl Lauterbach.
The group was arrested in a series of police raids on Wednesday, where several firearms were also seized.
Police said the suspects were found in local and foreign currency totaling € 20,000.
The group, aged 41 to 55, is accused of plotting a series of acts of violence that “endangered the state and violated firearms laws”.
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