- Right-wing coup plot: Nearly four years in prison demanded
For an alleged right-wing extremist from Heiligenhaus near Essen, the public prosecutor's office has requested a sentence of three years and nine months. The 50-year-old had admitted his involvement in coup plans during the trial at the Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court. He had joined the right-wing extremist "Kaiserreich group" and supported their coup plans.
In the meantime, the defendant, who was last employed as a maintenance technician, had testified against his alleged accomplices in other criminal proceedings, including before the Higher Regional Court in Koblenz. The prosecutor took this into account. However, she did not believe that the 50-year-old had only wanted to make himself important. The defense argued that their client was not a Reich citizen, but a misguided COVID-19 opponent. They demanded a sentence of no more than two and a half years in prison and a transfer to open detention.
Attacks on power lines
The 50-year-old had also admitted that he had offered to carry out attacks on power lines. "I want to distance myself from my radical thoughts at the time. The whole thing is accurate. I just got drawn into this nonsense," he explained.
Because the police also found over 50 illegal fireworks at the family man's home, he was also charged with violating the Explosives Act. This charge was dropped during the trial. The defendant insisted that it was a leftover from New Year's Eve and that he had no malicious intent.
According to the indictment, the "Kaiserreich group" around the so-called "United Patriots" had prepared a coup d'état and committed high treason against the Federal Republic. The aim was to replace the democratic government system with an authoritarian one.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the German defendant said he had become radicalized and no longer consumed mainstream media, but only informed himself via Telegram and YouTube. In 2021, he ran for the Bundestag for the party "Die Basis", which is considered the political arm of the "Querdenker" movement.
According to the indictment, explosive attacks on 16 power lines were to cause a blackout of up to 40 days, which was to lead to conditions similar to a civil war. Furthermore, Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) was to be kidnapped. The verdict is to be announced next Wednesday (14 August).
The prosecutor stated, "The following is added: His cooperation with authorities in other cases was taken into account during sentencing, but it was not believed that he joined the group solely for personal gain." Later, the defense argued, "Their client denied being a Reich citizen, instead, he was merely a misguided critic of COVID-19 measures and sought a sentence of no more than two and a half years in prison with open detention."
