Accused admits plotting to overthrow the "Imperial Group".
A defendant at the Hamburg Higher Regional Court has declared that they don't want to be considered a "Reichsbürger." However, they do acknowledge planning to alter the existing democratic system in Germany. In addition, they admit to strategizing to kidnap Germany's Federal Health Minister, Lauterbach, in front of news cameras.
This case is related to another trial involving alleged "Reichsbürger" intentions that has been underway in Hamburg for some time now. During this trial, the defendant's lawyer read out a statement addressed to the State Protection Senate at the Hanseatic Higher Regional Court. The statement admits to the accusations leveled by the Hamburg Public Prosecutor's Office. Previously, members of the "United Patriots" group have been on trial in Koblenz for over a year.
The accusations against the 66-year-old from Schleswig-Holstein accuse him of being a part of a terrorist organization and premeditating a high treason operation. This organization, which is also known as the "Kaiserreichsgruppe," aimed to instate an authoritarian political system in Germany, mirroring the constitution of the German Empire of 1871.
A Seafaring Mission to Kaliningrad
The accused reportedly agreed to journey with others into Russian territorial waters near Kaliningrad. Should their vessel be apprehended by the Russian Navy, the sailors planned to engage with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The association anticipated receiving backing from Putin for their mission.
The details of the coup can be found in the Hamburg Public Prosecutor's Office indictment. The "Kaiserreichsgruppe" had planned to induce a protracted and countrywide power outage in Germany. At the time of the intended coup, Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach was to be kidnapped by armed individuals during a live broadcast of a television program. The coup was to be carried out after the apprehension of Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The resulting leadership would be elected by a constituent assembly.
Weapons and Ammunition in the Possession of the Defendant
The defendant was tasked with procuring firearms. Inside his camper van, a pistol and over one hundred rounds of ammunition were concealed in a safe. During his arrest on November 29, 2023, ammunition was also discovered in a toolbox located in his basement apartment.
The large-scale power outage proposal was more than the accused was willing to accept. They declared their intention to obtain firearms but not for the coup. The accused claimed to have contacted the Office for the Protection of the Constitution to warn them. According to a court spokesperson, the accused managed to contact the Office for the Protection of the Constitution twice, but were unable to reach a personnel member. Their statements were deemed "too vague" by the agency.
Will the "Kaiserreichsgruppe" Be Classified as a Terrorist Organization?
The decision of whether the "Kaiserreichsgruppe" will be categorized as a terrorist organization by the court is critical. It's only through this designation that the accused in Hamburg can be convicted of supporting such a group. The State Protection Senate at the Hanseatic Higher Regional Court will likely take into account the potential verdict of the Koblenz court but must ultimately come to their own conclusion.
Currently, several "Reichsbürger" cases are being handled in various German courts. Since last Tuesday, the trial for the Reuß group's military faction is ongoing at the Frankfurt Appeals Court. In Stuttgart, the criminal proceedings for the Reuß group commenced at the end of April. The remaining members of the Reuß group are slated to appear before the court in Munich starting from June 18th.
Read also:
- Year of climate records: extreme is the new normal
- Precautionary arrests show Islamist terror threat
- UN vote urges Israel to ceasefire
- SPD rules out budget resolution before the end of the year
- The Hamburg Public Prosecutor's Office also accused another individual of planning to travel to Russian territories near Kaliningrad, allegedly hoping to gain support from President Vladimir Putin for their coup intentions, which included kidnapping Federal Health Minister Lauterbach and instigating a nationwide power outage.
- Amidst the ongoing trial in Hamburg, the defendant's lawyer read a statement acknowledging the defendant's involvement in a plot to overthrow the democratic system in Germany and planning terroristic acts, such as plotting to kidnap Minister Lauterbach and instigating a nationwide power outage, which could potentially be classified as terrorist activities.
- The Hamburg Higher Regional Court case is not standalone, as the "Kaiserreichsgruppe" is also linked to the extremist group "United Patriots", who have been on trial in Koblenz for over a year for terrorism-related charges, including planning to assassinate political figures and overthrow the government.
Source: www.ntv.de
