German federal prosecutors have carried out a major counter-terrorism operation targeting an alleged far-right extremist cell accused of planning violent attacks against migrants and political opponents, authorities confirmed on Wednesday.
In a coordinated series of early-morning raids, German police arrested five suspects aged between 14 and 18 in the states of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, Brandenburg, and Hesse, the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office announced.
The group, which refers to itself as “The Last Line of Defense”, is suspected of plotting acts of violence aimed at destabilizing Germany’s democratic order. According to German news agency DPA, prosecutors allege the group’s goal was to undermine the Federal Republic of Germany’s democratic system through violence.
“Members of this organization see themselves as the final bulwark protecting the ‘German nation,’” authorities stated in an official release, adding that refugees and political opponents were primary targets of the planned attacks.
Four of the teenagers have been charged with participation in a terrorist organization, while the fifth faces charges of supporting such a group. Federal prosecutors also cited attempted murder, arson, and property damage among the criminal offenses being investigated.
This case marks another troubling chapter in the rise of youth radicalization within Germany’s far-right scene, raising urgent questions about extremist recruitment tactics and online propaganda aimed at teenagers.
The investigation remains ongoing as authorities work to uncover the full scope of the group’s plans and potential connections.
