Crime - Another strike against right-wing extremist group "Knockout 51"
The judiciary and police have once again taken action against the right-wing extremist martial arts group"Knockout 51". Three arrests were made this morning in connection with investigations into the group, said a spokeswoman for the Federal Prosecutor General in Karlsruhe.
Two people were arrested for their alleged membership of "Knockout 51", the third man for his alleged support of the group. Four properties in Thuringia were searched. According to dpa information, these searches took place in Erfurt and Eisenach.
In recent years, right-wing extremists who were particularly willing to use violence had gathered in the ranks of "Knockout 51". The group was mainly active in the Eisenach area.
Knockout 51" was a right-wing extremist martial arts group "which attracted young, nationalist-minded men under the guise of joint physical training, deliberately indoctrinated them with right-wing extremist ideas and trained them for physical confrontations with police officers, members of the left-wing political scene and other people considered worth fighting", according to a statement from the Federal Public Prosecutor General.
Alleged ringleader arrested
According to the Federal Public Prosecutor General, one of those now arrested is said to have been one of the group's leading figures. He had founded "Knockout 51" at the latest in March 2019 together with three of the four defendants against whom a major state security trial has been ongoing at the Jena Higher Regional Court for several weeks. The man allegedly trained members and candidates of the group in their right-wing extremist ideology and also led so-called "neighborhood patrols".
The man who was arrested as a supporter is a long-standing leading figure in the far-right scene nationwide. According to the Federal Public Prosecutor General, he is suspected of having made a property in Eisenach available as a training location and weapons store for "Knockout 51".
Deadly attack planned
The third person arrested is said to have joined the group in March 2019 and taken part in martial arts and shooting training. Together with the now arrested alleged ringleader, he is said to have planned to carry out a deadly attack on left-wing extremists in September 2021.
The plan failed. He was supposed to drive a car into the opponents. The three detainees are to be brought before the investigating judge of the Federal Court of Justice later today.
Classification as a terrorist organization
The investigations against "Knockout 51" are not complete even with these searches and arrests, said the spokeswoman in Karlsruhe. Contrary to the preliminary legal opinion of the Jena Higher Regional Court, the Federal Public Prosecutor General still classifies "Knockout 51" as a terrorist organization.
Four alleged members of "Knockout 51" are currently on trial before the Jena Higher Regional Court. The men had planned, among other things, to kill their political opponents by using knives, axes and machetes, it was said during the reading of the indictment.
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- The arrests in Thuringia, specifically in Erfurt and Eisenach, were part of a larger operation against the right-wing extremist group "Knockout 51".
- The right-wing extremist martial arts group "Knockout 51" has been active primarily in the Eisenach area, attracting young, nationalist-minded men.
- The Federal Public Prosecutor General in Karlsruhe classified "Knockout 51" as a terrorist organization, despite the preliminary legal opinion of the Jena Higher Regional Court.
- The spokeswoman from the Federal Prosecutor General in Karlsruhe stated that the investigations against "Knockout 51" are not yet complete, despite the searches and arrests.
- One of the arrested individuals is suspected of being a leading figure in "Knockout 51," having founded the group in March 2019 and training its members.
- In addition to the alleged ringleader, another individual was arrested for his suspected support of "Knockout 51," allegedly providing a property in Eisenach for use as a training location and weapons store.
- The third individual arrested is suspected of having joined "Knockout 51" and participated in martial arts and shooting training, planning to carry out a deadly attack with a vehicle against left-wing extremists.
Source: www.stern.de
