Arrests in Germany over 'far-right coup plot' including soldiers

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".

Far-right party makes comeback in German regional poll

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.

A police helicopter lands near federal prosecutors' headquarters in Karlsruhe. AP

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.

Some of the suspects were allegedly planning an attack on Germany's parliament. Reuters

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.

Young women have more “financial grit”, but fall behind on investing

In an October survey of young adults aged 16 to 25, Charles Schwab found young women are more driven to reach financial independence than young men (67 per cent versus. 58 per cent). They are more likely to take on extra work to make ends meet and see more value than men in creating a plan to achieve their financial goals. Yet, despite all these good ‘first’ measures, they are investing and saving less than young men – falling early into the financial gender gap.

While the women surveyed report spending 36 per cent less than men, they have far less savings than men ($1,267 versus $2,000) – a nearly 60 per cent difference.

In addition, twice as many young men as women say they would invest spare cash, and almost twice as many young men as women report having investment accounts (though most young adults do not invest at all).

“Despite their good intentions, young women start to fall behind their male counterparts in savings and investing early on in life,” said Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz, senior vice president, Charles Schwab. “They start off showing a strong financial planning mindset, but there is still room for further education when it comes to managing their day-to-day finances.”

Ms Schwab-Pomerantz says parents should be conveying the same messages to boys and girls about money, but should tailor those conversations based on the individual and gender.

"Our study shows that while boys are spending more than girls, they also are saving more. Have open and honest conversations with your daughters about the wage and savings gap," she said. "Teach kids about the importance of investing – especially girls, who as we see in this study, aren’t investing as much. Part of being financially prepared is learning to make the most of your money, and that means investing early and consistently."

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Housed on the same site as the original Africa Hall, which first hosted an Arab-African Symposium in 1976, the newly renovated building will be home to a think tank and postgraduate studies hub (it will offer master’s and PhD programmes). The centre will focus on both the historical and contemporary links between Africa and the Gulf, and will serve as a meeting place for conferences, symposia, lectures, film screenings, plays, musical performances and more. In fact, today it is hosting a symposium – 5-plus-1: Rethinking Abstraction that will look at the six decades of Frank Bowling’s career, as well as those of his contemporaries that invested social, cultural and personal meaning into abstraction.

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