BERLIN, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Ongoing investigations by the German Public Prosecutor General into a suspected neo-Nazi terror organization, known as "Revolution Chemnitz", have sparked further public debate in Germany over the country's increasingly assertive right-wing extremist scene on Tuesday.
Katrin Goering-Eckardt, the leader of the Green party (Gruene) parliamentary faction told the newspaper "Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung" that the recent arrest of eight individuals in connection to the formation of "Revolution Chemnitz" was a "wake-up call" for policymakers.
In light of the latest developments, Goering-Eckardt criticized attempts by parts of the federal government to downplay the threat of right-wing extremism as "reckless." The Green party politician complained that while the "grand coalition" was busy with internal quarrels following the Chemnitz marches, the right-wing scene had mobilized and apparently tried to prepare terror attacks and plan a right-wing extreme revolution.
Goering-Eckardt's comments were made on the same day as four suspected far-right terrorists were presented to the German Federal Supreme Court to determine whether they will continue to be remanded in custody. In total, eight local men are believed by the Public Prosecutor General to have formed a terror cell operating in Chemnitz which planned attacks against foreigners and political opponents and were already in the process of acquiring firearms towards that end.
It is further seen as likely by prosecutors that the suspects were involved in recent incidents of right-wing extremist violence witnessed during a series of widely-publicized demonstrations in Chemnitz. Following the still unresolved murder of Daniel H. in late August, thousands took to the streets in the East German town to voice their anger at an attack which far-right local activists have blamed on asylum seekers.
Over the course of the two weeks, local police repeatedly struggled to retain control of the situation, as violent protestors threatened, assaulted and chased civilians with foreign appearances, clashed with a separate anti-Nazi demonstration. The suspected participation of "Revolution Chemnitz" members in assaults against foreigners on Sept. 14 are hereby viewed by investigators as a test-run for a larger-scale attack in the near future, possibly scheduled for the upcoming Day of German Unity.
The "Revolution Chemnitz" cell is only the latest of several far-right terror groups which German security and judicial authorities have contended with in recent years. As recently as July, Beate Zschaepe was sentenced to life in prison as the primary suspect in the closely-watched "National Socialist Underground" trial which ran for more than five years. The NSU achieved international notoriety for committing the so-called "Bosporus Serial Murders", which witnessed the killing of one police officer and nine civilians with migratory backgrounds, as well as being responsible for a series of bombings and armed robberies.
Additionally, eight members of the Saxony-based far-right "Freital Group" were convicted in March for attempted murder and forming a terrorist organization. Amongst others, the group carried out bomb attacks against five refugee accommodation centers in 2015.
