Terror trial in Koblenz: Prisoner for Reich citizens' group imposed!
Terror trial in Koblenz: Prisoner for Reich citizens' group imposed!
On March 6, 2025, the Koblenz Higher Regional Court imposed many prison terms for the members of the group known as the "United Patriot". This conviction is the result of a complex procedure that extended over two years and included 106 trial days as well as 38 witnesses and five experts. The defendants have been convicted of their membership in a terrorist association and the planning of a overthrow in Germany. Among other things, they had planned a power failure for several weeks and the kidnapping of the Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach (SPD).
Of the five defendants, four ringleaders received prison terms between 5 years and 9 months and 8 years. A fifth defendant who worked in a subordinate role was sentenced to 2 years and 10 months. According to the federal prosecutor, the required prison terms for the four main accusations between 6 years and 8 years and 9 months were applied for 3 years and 6 months for the fifth. The defender of the main accused has already announced a revision at the Federal Court of Justice.
background and security situation
The events around the "combined patriots" have their roots in a larger political context. Already at the beginning of December 2022, German security authorities carried out an extensive campaign against alleged members of the group, which planned violent elimination of the state order. In one of the greatest measures against politically motivated crime in Germany, over 3,000 police officers were involved who searched more than 160 objects and arrested 25 people. During these searches, numerous weapons were confiscated, including long weapons and a service weapon from the police.
The group, which has formed at least since November 2021, is strongly assigned to the “Reich Citizen” spectrum and refers to conspiracy theories such as the idea of a “deep state” that controls Germany in secret. The security authorities estimate that up to 950 Reich citizens in Rhineland-Palatinate, including 140, which are considered to be violent.
ideologies and social effects
In addition to the guiding principles of the "United Patriots", the process also showed insights into the ideologies of the accused. Their beliefs are based on conspiracy theories and a deep distrust of the existing state system. Among other things, a 77-year-old former teacher from Mainz, who made anti-Semitic statements in the court, was striking. The productions in the courtroom and the reference to Corona pandemic as a trigger for the radical plans lead a light on the overall social problems of extremism and radicalization.According to the current figures of the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA), an increase in many categories was recorded in the area of politically motivated crime. The increase in anti-Semitic crimes by 95.53 % to 5,164 cases in 2023 is particularly worrying. The "United Patriots" are therefore part of a troubling trend that underlines the dangers through politically motivated crimes.
Although the convictions of the "United Patriots" could represent a legal success, the social challenge of understanding and combating the ideological roots of such movements remains. The entanglements in the Reich Citizens' Movement show how deeply rooted and dangerous these currents can be in German society.
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