German police have busted a suspected terrorist cell accused of plotting a far-right coup to overthrow the government, kill politicians and establish a military regime.
Prosecutors said 25 people were arrested, including an ex-MP and a minor prince, in early morning raids on Wednesday in Germany, Italy and Austria.
They revealed extraordinary details of a plot said to involve weapons training, planning for an interim government and attempts to win support in Russia.
Some of the suspects allegedly planned to storm Germany's parliament with a small armed group.
"The investigations give us a glimpse into the abyss of the terrorist threat," German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said.
"From what we know so far, the suspected terror group uncovered today is driven by violent coup fantasies and conspiracy theories."
Dozens of properties were searched in what was described as the biggest anti-terror raid in German history, involving more than 3,000 police officers.
The group allegedly included former soldiers and made particular efforts to recruit from the police and military, which have been plagued by extremist elements.
It was said to be inspired by so-called Reichsbuerger (Citizens of the Reich) ideology, a movement which rejects the legitimacy of the post-1945 German state.
Prosecutors said the plotters were also influenced by QAnon conspiracy theories and believed Germany was run by a "deep state".
One alleged ringleader was Prince Heinrich XIII, a descendant of German nobility who is said to have made contacts with Russia.
Prosecutors said an alleged intermediary, a Russian woman called Vitalia, was also arrested.
They said there was no evidence Heinrich's Russian interlocutors responded positively to him.
Heinrich allegedly led secret meetings of the group's ruling council in which detailed plans were made for a military regime.
It even mimicked a real government by appointing people to justice, health and foreign affairs portfolios, the federal prosecutors said.
Another suspect named as Birgit M-W was identified by German media as Birgit Malsack-Winkemann, a former MP from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
After leaving parliament last year, she was recently given approval by a Berlin court to return to her previous role as a judge.
The group's paramilitary arm had gone as far as acquiring weapons, taking shooting practice and preparing to set up militias, prosecutors said.
"Members of the organisation know that their intentions can only be carried out with the use of military means and violence against government officials," a statement said.
"The organisation knows that people would be killed, but accepts this because it regards it as a necessary step to change the system on all levels."
In total, 22 suspected members and three suspected supporters of a far-right terrorist group were detained in the raids in 11 states.
They were due to appear before a judge on Wednesday and Thursday.
The security forces raided more than 100 properties across the country in the co-ordinated early morning raids.
The operation began at 6am at a house in the Wannsee residential area of Berlin, reports said. Minutes later, a hunting lodge in the east was raided.
The newspaper Der Spiegel reported that the barracks of a special forces unit were searched.
The cell had been making plans with "growing intensity" since at least November last year, it is alleged.
The Reichsbuerger movement believes the prewar German Empire was never validly dissolved and that Germany is still awaiting liberation from the wartime Allies.
Germany’s domestic intelligence agency says the Reichsbuerger scene overlaps with the neo-Nazi fringe and includes anti-Semitic elements.
It has caused growing alarm after orchestrating unrest and recruiting new supporters during the coronavirus pandemic.
One anti-lockdown rally nearly spilt over into violence in 2020 when a group of protesters tried to storm into parliament in Berlin.
The alleged coup plot “shows the real threat to democracy in Germany – extreme-right groups and Reichsbuerger who dream of a coup,” said a Green party MP, Sabine Gruetzmacher.
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
The bio
Date of Birth: April 25, 1993
Place of Birth: Dubai, UAE
Marital Status: Single
School: Al Sufouh in Jumeirah, Dubai
University: Emirates Airline National Cadet Programme and Hamdan University
Job Title: Pilot, First Officer
Number of hours flying in a Boeing 777: 1,200
Number of flights: Approximately 300
Hobbies: Exercising
Nicest destination: Milan, New Zealand, Seattle for shopping
Least nice destination: Kabul, but someone has to do it. It’s not scary but at least you can tick the box that you’ve been
Favourite place to visit: Dubai, there’s no place like home
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
TRAINING FOR TOKYO
A typical week's training for Sebastian, who is competing at the ITU Abu Dhabi World Triathlon on March 8-9:
- Four swim sessions (14km)
- Three bike sessions (200km)
- Four run sessions (45km)
- Two strength and conditioning session (two hours)
- One session therapy session at DISC Dubai
- Two-three hours of stretching and self-maintenance of the body
ITU Abu Dhabi World Triathlon
For more information go to www.abudhabi.triathlon.org.
LAST 16
SEEDS
Liverpool, Manchester City, Barcelona, Paris St-Germain, Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig, Valencia, Juventus
PLUS
Real Madrid, Tottenham, Atalanta, Atletico Madrid, Napoli, Borussia Dortmund, Lyon, Chelsea
Dr Afridi's warning signs of digital addiction
Spending an excessive amount of time on the phone.
Neglecting personal, social, or academic responsibilities.
Losing interest in other activities or hobbies that were once enjoyed.
Having withdrawal symptoms like feeling anxious, restless, or upset when the technology is not available.
Experiencing sleep disturbances or changes in sleep patterns.
What are the guidelines?
Under 18 months: Avoid screen time altogether, except for video chatting with family.
Aged 18-24 months: If screens are introduced, it should be high-quality content watched with a caregiver to help the child understand what they are seeing.
Aged 2-5 years: Limit to one-hour per day of high-quality programming, with co-viewing whenever possible.
Aged 6-12 years: Set consistent limits on screen time to ensure it does not interfere with sleep, physical activity, or social interactions.
Teenagers: Encourage a balanced approach – screens should not replace sleep, exercise, or face-to-face socialisation.
Source: American Paediatric Association
More coverage from the Future Forum
The specs: Rolls-Royce Cullinan
Price, base: Dh1 million (estimate)
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbo V12
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 563hp @ 5,000rpm
Torque: 850Nm @ 1,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 15L / 100km
