3000 police officers deployed in raids over plot to overthrow German government | DW News

At least 25 people have been detained in a series of nightly

raids

across

German

y in a

plot

to

overthrow

the state by force. Some 3,000

police

officers

participated in searches of more than 130 properties. Nationwide authorities believe the suspects are linked to a Nationwide hoax. right Network among them are several former members of the Armed Forces and at least one active duty soldier we want this fast moving story let's bring in DW political correspondent Julius saudeli Julia what else can you tell us about these

raids

and the suspects who have been detained yes , this was a very large operation that took place in 11 of the states of

German

y, but also two people were arrested abroad, one in Italy and one in Austria and we have seen that 25 people have been arrested but there are another 27 uh suspects in the case is also suspected to be part of this uh what is being called a terrorist network and this is supposed to be one of the largest anti-terrorist operations in

German

y since World War II defendant and suspects are considered to be Mundial were part of a terrorist network that sought to

overthrow

the democratic order in

German

y and the center of this network appears to be a businessman from the city of Frankfu rt in

German

y who calls himself a prince though it's just a symbolic title but he owns a hunting lodge in thirinja and appears to have been the man coordinating this network and part of the network was apparently also a former member of Parliament

German

for the far- the right and the party who is currently an active judge in the city of Berlin but also members of the

German

army and a member of the

German

special forces now the suspects apparently had a plan to

overthrow

the

German

government

by force how realistic are these or were these? threats, well the network appears to have formed no later than November 2021 so last year and investigations into the network began in the early months of this year after a tip came in from the internet intelligence services in the state of Hessen, especially in regards to uh this uh Prince Heinrich as he is called and it appears that this network was actively working to form almost like a shadow cabinet and arm themselves to carry out an armed attack on the bundestag the

german

parliament and actively arrest politicians and then thus bring about a change in the order of the

government

of

German

y, basically carry out a coup and the group wanted to change the

government

of

German

y seize power with the support of the Federation Russia, the prosecutor's office has said that the members of the network had already tried to contact the Russian representatives here in

German

y to try to facilitate this process, so we are talking landing of plants for a coup here now the suspects are alleged members of the so called reisberger scene tell us more about that movement yes rexburger means reich citizen of the

german

empire and this is a group of people who believe that the current democratic order in

German

y it is illegitimate that the democratic order that was established after the end of the Second World War is illegitimate and that the real form of

government

that should still be in force in

German

y is that of the

German

Empire and they often have conflicts with the authorities. they refuse to pay taxes and it is estimated that around 21,000 people are members are members of this network they have reached out to the protest movements against the coronavirus that took place in recent years taking control of these protests but also merging with the conspiracy theorists who are also part of this movement and are also somewhat close to the Q Anon movement, which is quite significant, especially online and is a movement that has also been watched by authorities and

police

forces here in

German

y, our political correspondent Julia sardelli there thank you julia