Eight individuals from Saxony have been formally charged by the German Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office with forming a terrorist organization and plotting a high-treasonous undertaking. The charges, reported by “taz” and MDR, stem from the group’s alleged preparations for an overthrow of the German state.
The accused, all young men from the region surrounding Grimma and Leipzig, were arrested in November 2024 and have been held in custody since. They are alleged to have established a group known as “Saxon Separatists” and were actively planning for a potential uprising.
The indictment details a period of preparation, beginning in early 2020, consisting of training exercises held in forests, a deserted airfield and shooting ranges. According to the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office, discussions within the group involved the potential use of weapons and the consideration of ethnic cleansing. The prosecution asserts that the individuals shared a racist and antisemitic ideology.
One of the defendants faces an additional charge of attempted murder. During his arrest in November 2024, he reportedly confronted police officers with a loaded and unsecured rifle. A police officer subsequently discharged their weapon, injuring the suspect. A subsequent investigation into the officer’s actions was closed, based on the principle of self-defense.
The trial is expected to take place at the Dresden Regional Court.