Germany reports 327 far-right cases in security services

BERLIN

German authorities identified 327 right-wing extremists among soldiers, police and intelligence officers, a new report revealed on Friday.

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser and the country’s domestic intelligence chief Thomas Haldenwang presented the government’s report at a news conference in Berlin.

Faeser said authorities examined nearly 860 suspected far-right cases in security services between July 2018 and June 2021, and found strong evidence of right-wing extremism in 327 cases.

She said the government takes the problem seriously and will take strong measures against the far-right infiltration of state institutions.

“We will not allow right-wing extremists to sabotage our democratic state from inside,” the Social Democrat politician stressed.

According to the report, investigations into far-right incidents within the security services resulted in disciplinary action in nearly 500 cases.

Thomas Haldenwang, the head of Germany’s domestic intelligence agency BfV, said in majority of the cases, suspects were members of far-right chat groups and they also had ties to the right-wing extremist groups.

“There is no place for right-wing extremists in security services,” he stressed, adding that authorities will take stronger measures against far-right groups, such as the Reichsbuerger.

German state authorities have long been under criticism for downplaying issues of racism and discrimination, and an alleged culture of tolerance towards right-wing extremists.

Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s coalition government announced a new “action plan” in March to combat racism and pledged stronger measures to counter the growing threat posed by the far-right.