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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.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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.<\/p>\n
They sought to take hostage the country’s health minister who has backed tough isolation measures, vaccinations and other coronavirus controls.<\/p>\n
A fifth suspect of the group is still at large.<\/p>\n
In total, authorities identified 12 people believed to have links to the group, who used messages on the Telegram app to communicate.<\/p>\n
The group known as the United Patriots – were part of the Reichsb\u00fcrger (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.<\/p>\n
Local television, Report Mainz, said the group sought to damage power lines and power stations, and the country’s energy infrastructure.<\/p>\n
They had identified a number of public figures as possible targets for the hostages, led by Health Minister Karl Lauterbach.<\/p>\n
The group was arrested in a series of police raids on Wednesday, where several firearms were also seized.<\/p>\n
Police said the suspects were found in local and foreign currency totaling \u20ac 20,000.<\/p>\n
The group, aged 41 to 55, is accused of plotting a series of acts of violence that “endangered the state and violated firearms laws”.<\/p>\n
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