German authorities arrested five adolescents on Wednesday on suspicion of forming a far-right terrorist group. The charges include attempted murder and severe arson.
The arrests are connected to arson attacks on a community center and a refugee shelter.
Federal prosecutors stated that the five suspects are male culpable minors who formed a group calling itself the “last wave of defence” with the stated goal of protecting the “German nation.”
Prosecutors listed eight German members of the group, providing their first names and the initial of their last names, including three who had been previously arrested. Their ages were not disclosed.
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According to the statement, the group’s “aim is to commit acts of violence primarily against migrants and political opponents to bring about the collapse of the democratic system of Germany.”
Two of the five are believed to have committed arson at a cultural community center in October in the eastern state of Brandenburg.
Two other members of the group, who were previously arrested, are accused of breaking a window and firing fireworks into a migrant shelter in Saxony in January.
The statement also noted that over 220 police officers were involved in the five arrests and searches of premises across five regional states.
A report by the interior ministry on Tuesday revealed that politically motivated crimes in Germany surged by approximately 40% to a record high last year, with a particularly sharp increase in far-right violence.
The report cited deepening political polarization, a series of closely fought elections, and the war in Gaza as underlying factors contributing to the rise in violence.
The far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) achieved its best-ever results in national elections in February, advocating for stricter immigration controls and a departure from the European Union.
