Police in the western state of Rhineland-Palatinate say they have broken up a right-wing extremist chat group that was seeking to bring down Germany’s democracy.
The State Criminal Police Office (LKA) in Mainz said Wednesday that individuals from a group calling itself the “Vereinte Patrioten” (United Patriots) planned bomb attacks on Germany’s energy infrastructure in hopes of creating lasting nationwide power outages that would spark a “civil war-like” situation.
The group figured that such an attack would then enable the toppling of Germany’s elected government and ultimately its democratic system.
The LKA said nationwide raids were carried out against the group for its bombing plans and other violent activities.
Authorities said they would provide further details on the case at a press conference alongside investigators from the Koblenz General Prosecutor’s Office at 10:00 a.m. (UTC) on Thursday.
Wednesday’s arrests come just one week after a massive nationwide police operation led to the arrests of four key individuals.
Some 800 police raided 60 locations tied to the neo-Nazi groups “Atomwaffen Division” (AWD), “Combat 18” (C18) and “Knockout 51” (K51).
