German authorities have arrested five people suspected of belonging to a far-right group known as “Last Wave of Defence,” which investigators say planned violent attacks on asylum seekers, migrants and political adversaries, as per Al Jazeera.
The arrests were carried out early Wednesday across several regions of the country, federal prosecutors said.
The detainees—identified only as Benjamin H., Ben-Maxim H., Lenny M., Jason R., and Jerome M. in accordance with German privacy laws—face various charges. Four are accused of membership in a domestic terrorist organization, while the fifth is suspected of supporting the group. Two of those arrested are also charged with attempted murder and aggravated arson. Their ages were not released, though officials noted that all of the suspects were minors when the organization was founded in 2024.
Investigators searched 13 properties in conjunction with the arrests. According to prosecutors, the group styled itself as the “last resort” to defend the German nation and aimed to undermine the country’s democratic order. Members allegedly carried out or attempted multiple arson attacks last year and earlier this year:
• In October, two suspects set fire to a cultural center in Altdöbern, eastern Germany. Several residents in the building narrowly escaped injury.
• In January, two others tried to ignite fireworks through a broken window at an asylum-seekers’ residence in Schmölln, leaving xenophobic graffiti and swastikas on the walls.
• That same month, three suspects are believed to have plotted another arson attack on a refugee facility in Senftenberg, but the plan failed after earlier arrests.
Federal prosecutors said three additional individuals already in custody are also under investigation for alleged ties to the group.
Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig called the case “particularly shocking,” emphasizing that the suspects were minors when they formed the organization. She noted the arrests come amid a sharp rise in politically motivated crime. A report released Tuesday by the Interior Ministry showed such offenses climbed about 40 percent last year, with far-right violence accounting for much of the increase.
Germany has experienced growing anti-immigrant sentiment in recent years, reflected in electoral gains by the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s coalition government has pledged stricter border controls and tougher immigration measures, including expanded deportations and limits on family reunification for refugees.
