After the major raid on a “Reich Citizens” group, Thuringia’s Interior Minister Georg Maier sees a connection to the AfD, which is monitored by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution in his state. “The AfD has become more and more radicalized. It spreads these conspiracy myths, it spreads these conspiracy fantasies and fantasies of overthrow,” said the SPD politician on Deutschlandfunk.
“But what’s worse is that it ultimately functions as an organizational center, an interface for networking right-wing extremist organizations. And that’s what makes this party more and more dangerous.”
Maier spoke of a difficult environment with serious crises. “People are worried, many are afraid. And that’s exactly what the AfD is of course addressing,” said Maier. The party is trying to scare people even further. “They fantasize about an authoritarian state system. That’s basically what they’re aiming for.”
The minister expected further arrests. Experience has shown that a second wave follows because evidence is evaluated. Other people came into focus. “I assume that there will be more arrests.”
On Wednesday, the federal prosecutor had arrested a total of 25 people in eleven federal states as well as in Italy and Austria. She accuses 22 of them of being a member of a terrorist organization that wanted to overthrow the political system in Germany. The arrest warrants for 19 suspects were executed by Wednesday evening, so they are in custody.
