German authorities arrested 25 people associated with a far-right organization on Wednesday. The prosecutor's office said they were plotting a violent coup to establish a royal as the new leader of Germany.
Advocates of the deep state conspiracy theories of Germany's Reichsbuerger and QAnon, some of whom were detained following the storming of the US Capitol in January 2021, were cited by prosecutors as sources of inspiration for the organization, per a Reuters report.
Some former German citizens, known as Reichsbuerger, see the current government in Berlin as illegitimate. Others feel Germany is still under military occupation, while others remain loyal to the German empire when it was ruled by a monarchy.
According to the prosecutor's office, the plan called for suspect Ruediger v. P., to be in charge of the military arm, while Heinrich XIII P. R., a former member of the German royal family, would serve as the leader of the future state.
Heinrich, who calls himself a prince and hails from the royal House of Reuss that reigned over sections of eastern Germany, had made contact with officials of Russia, whom the organization considered its major contact for creating its new system. The report concluded that the representatives' lack of response to the request was conclusive.
Extreme Right Suspects Will Face A Strong Response From Authorities
Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser has promised a strong response from the German government.
German Military Security Service spokesperson confirms to NBC News that "an active member of the military's special forces (KSK) organization" is also being investigated. However, he did not verify whether or not the suspect had been apprehended.
Authorities claim the organization is fueled by right-wing conspiracy theories, such as the QAnon movement's view that a shadowy and evil "deep state" is really ruling the nation.
The German Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution has condemned the group, saying its members do not recognize the Federal Republic of Germany as a legitimate sovereign state and promote antisemitic conspiracy theories.
The intended kidnapping of German Health Minister Karl Lauterbach, conducted by another Reichsbürger organization, sparked the inquiry that led to the raids.
Germany Prepares For Bigger Terrorist Threats
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser of Germany claimed the incident demonstrated the danger presented by the Reichsbürger movement.
She commented that the inquiry shows "a glimpse into the abyss of a terrorist threat from the Reichsbürger scene." The official added that the information could help authorities frame a better defense against "the enemies of democracy."
German Bundestag President Bärbel Bas praised the operation, saying it demonstrates "that our democratic constitutional state is vigilant and capable of acting."
According to DW, the Reichsbürger movement consists of a loose confederation of local groups and people in the German states of Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, and Bavaria. No one in this group recognizes the legitimacy of the Federal Republic of Germany or any of its authorities.
The organization proclaims that the pre-World War II German constitution was never officially invalidated. Thus, the 1949 creation of former West Germany and the current unified state of Germany was never legitimate, they believe.
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