This was of personal interest to me because this took place in Bamberg, a small city where I have spent some time.
I suspect it is a hotbed of right-wing extremism
German cops bust extremist plot to target refugees with explosives
Police collar Nazis over refugee fire attack plan in Bamberg
German police have foiled a far-right plot to torch migrant shelters, officials said on Thursday in the latest evidence of violence directed at refugee centres.
As well as paintball guns, baseball bats and one live pistol, police found large amounts of Nazi memorabilia. Photo: DPA
23
October, 2015
Officers
swooped on the Bavarian town of Bamberg on Wednesday evening,
arresting 11 men and two women whom they said were members of a
far-right movement and a criminal gang, prosecutor Erik Ohlenschlager
told a news conference.
The
raids came as Germany's Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) reported
a surge in crimes targeting refugee centres, warning
that the ongoing migrant crisis was increasing the risk of extremist
attacks on
politicians.
This
Second World War-era Luger pistol was the only live weapon found in
the raid. Photo: DPA
Ohlenschlager
said the suspects were planning an attack on two asylum-seeker homes
in Bamberg with the aim of setting them on fire with "very
dangerous" flammable substances.
The
group also planned to ransack premises used by far-left activists in
the town and beat up those inside, police said.
The
violence was planned to coincide with a far-right protest outside a
refugee centre on October 31, which the town mayor has said he may
seek to ban.
During
a visit to a refugee shelter in Bamberg, Interior Minister Thomas de
Maziere told journalists the police raids had thwarted "new
criminal acts or attacks", the DPA news agency reported.
Summer
of attacks
More
than 670,000 people have landed on Europe's shores so far this year
and most want to get to Germany, Europe's economic powerhouse.
Tensions
have been rising in Germany as Chancellor Angela Merkel has opened
the doors to an unprecedented wave of people, Berlin expecting to
receive up to a million asylum requests this year.
During
July, August and September, there were 285 attacks on migrant centres
across Germany -- more the entire number in 2014, which stood at 198
offences, the BKA said.
There
have been 576 offences targeting refugee hostels since the start of
the year, including cases of criminal damage and inciting hatred, 523
of which were committed by far-right extremists, it dded.
"Alongside
the attacks on asylum-seeker hostels, attacks against officials held
responsible (for the influx of migrants), such as politicians or the
managers of lodging places, could grow," a BKA spokesperson
said.
The
warning came after a mayoral candidate in the western city of Cologne
was stabbed in the neck in an attack apparently motivated by her work
with refugees.
Henriette
Reker, an independent candidate, became the most prominent victim of
the anti-migrant backlash on Saturday when a
man attacked her with knives on the campaign tail.
Security
experts have been bracing for a rise in unrest, with domestic
intelligence chief Hans-Georg Maassen warning in late September of a
radicalisation of rightwing groups and "a greater willingness to
use violence" by all extremist groups.
Other RT coverage from Germany. Harry Fear has done some good coverage but I have not seen that posted yet.
Other RT coverage from Germany. Harry Fear has done some good coverage but I have not seen that posted yet.
‘No political party in Germany addresses loss of culture worries’ – Pegida leader
RT
Schools threatened day after deadly Sweden knife attack
Schools in Sweden received threats on Friday, just one day after a stabbing attack killed two people and injured three others at a school in Trollhatan, Expressen newspaper reported.
The Guardian
Centre-left
coalition and opposition agree plans to make it harder for refugees
to remain in Sweden as influx of 160,000 anticipated
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