"Saxon separatists": The first tip-off about the right-wing terrorists came from this country

Dresden - The first tip-off about the suspected right-wing terrorist group "Saxon Separatists" came from the USA.

On Tuesday, those arrested in the raid against suspected right-wing extremists were brought to the investigating judge at the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe.
On Tuesday, those arrested in the raid against suspected right-wing extremists were brought to the investigating judge at the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe.  © Rene Priebe/dpa

According to information from the German Press Agency, the FBI had noticed someone from Germany who was disclosing such content online in a chat under a "nickname".

The tip-off from the USA was first reported by NDR, WDR and the "Süddeutsche Zeitung". The options available to German security authorities for investigating online are less extensive than those of the US authorities.

The Federal Prosecutor General had eight suspected members of the militant group arrested on Tuesday. Among them is a local AfD politician from Saxony, who suffered an injury during the police raid. According to security sources, he was allegedly holding a long gun in his hand when he was arrested, which is why the police fired two warning shots.

The accused suffered a fracture to his jaw and underwent surgery, it was reported. According to the German Press Agency, the arrested man is a hunter and has a firearms license.

Saxony's AfD wants to exclude the accused

The state executive committee of the Saxon AfD has since decided to expel him and two other party members who are alleged to belong to the suspected far-right terrorist group from the party.

The federal prosecutor's office has accused the German nationals of membership of a terrorist organization.