German police have arrested eight alleged members of a far-right militant group, described as driven by racist and antisemitic ideology and intent on the overthrow of Germany’s current government, prosecutors reported Tuesday.
According to the federal prosecutor's office, the suspects belong to a group called "Sächsische Separatisten" (Saxonian Separatists), which was formed no later than November 2020.
"This is a militant group of 15 to 20 individuals with a worldview marked by racist, antisemitic, and partly apocalyptic beliefs," stated the prosecutor's office.
Investigators explained that the group members believe Germany is on the brink of collapse, with a predicted “Day X” when government and society will fall. In anticipation, they had reportedly been training in warfare to enforce a new nationalist system in eastern Germany, inspired by National Socialism.
Authorities revealed that the group’s ideology included plans for "ethnic cleansing" to remove unwanted groups from their envisioned state. Among those detained are four suspected founders of the group, identified as Joerg S., Joern S., Karl K., and Norman T.
* Ynet contributed to this article.