Domestic Intelligence Report Warns of 20K Far-Right Extremists in AfD, Spike in Violent Crimes
Approximately 40% of the 50,000 identified right-wing extremists are affiliated with the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
Hey there, buddy! Get ready to dig into some juicy news about Germany's far-right extremists. The Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) dropped a bombshell in their latest report.
For the very first time, they've counted more than 50,000 far-right extremists in the country. This alarming finding was presented by Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt when he unveiled the domestic security report. He let out a strong warning, stating that the so-called far-right extremist potential has more than doubled in the last decade, reaching an astounding 50,250 people today.
Dobrindt highlighted that a whopping 15,300 of these extremists are considered violence-oriented. The rise in right-wing extremism isn't confined to Germany alone; the left-wing extremist potential also saw an increase during this period, with the BfV counting 38,000 left-wing extremists, 11,200 of whom are violent.
AfD Tops the Chart as Far-Right Messengers
You won't believe this, but guess which party has the most far-right extremists under its wing? That's right, the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party leads the pack by a mile. A significant chunk of this far-right extremist population, about 20,000 individuals, are at home in the AfD. This number is significantly larger than the 11,300 extremists affiliated with the party back in 2023. To put things into perspective, according to the AfD's own figures, the party boasts 52,000 members.
The BfV considers AfD to have a "pivot role" in far-right extremism. Vice-President of the BfV, Sinan Selen, claims that topics are picked up and transferred into the mainstream by the party. The BfV identifies 8,500 far-right extremists organized outside of parties, and a staggering 18,000 unstructured far-right extremist potential.
Political Ban, Still a Distant Dream
Dobrindt remains unconvinced about launching a ban procedure against the AfD, favoring political marginalization as a more effective strategy. He believes that the party is securely far-right extremist, but it's best to tackle the issue politically, he argues.
The BfV classified the AfD as securely far-right extremist at the beginning of May. However, the classification is on hold due to a lawsuit filed by the party. Selen, the vice-president of the BfV, agrees that the leaked 1,000+ page expert opinion isn't enough for a ban procedure.
Trends and Statistics
Remember the saying, "Half measures avail nothing?" It appears the same can be said about the fight against extremism in Germany. Of the total 84,172 politically motivated crimes registered by the Federal Criminal Office, around half are from the right-wing spectrum. This translates to 9,971 crimes committed from the left-wing spectrum, 1,877 crimes attributed to religion, and 7,343 crimes linked to "foreign ideology."
The BfV sees an extremist background in 57,701 crimes, with right-wing extremists accounting for a massive 37,835 crimes. Left-wing extremists clock in at 11,866 crimes, while religion-motivated extremists commit 1,351 crimes and non-Islamist foreign extremists contribute 1,776 crimes.
Violence-wise, the BfV registers 2,976 extremist acts of violence. There were 1,281 acts of violence committed by right-wing extremists, including six attempted murders. "Reichsbürger" (Citizens of the Reich) racked up 105 acts of violence, while left-wing extremists were responsible for 532 acts of violence.
Anti-Semitic crimes saw a small increase from 2023 to 2024, with right-wing extremists accounting for 2,775 crimes (54 incidents of violence) and left-wing extremists for 99 crimes (6 incidents of violence). Religiously motivated extremists and non-Islamist foreign extremists committed a combined 656 and 1,776 anti-Semitic crimes, respectively, with a total of 87 acts of violence.
Online Radicalization and Disposable Agents
Selin raised concerns about the rapid online radicalization of young people. According to him, they are becoming radicalized faster than ever, guided by extremists online and sometimes moving on to actions. The BfV is struggling to address this issue due to the short timeframe in which young people are radicalized.
Disposable Agents: A New Threat
Dobrindt warned that the constitutional order is "under attack almost daily." He spoke of cyber-attacks, disinformation campaigns, and disposable agents, as used by Russia. The BfV spoke of "low-level agents," often referred to as "disposable agents." These agents are a significant part of the new threat, according to Dobrindt, with Russia's state institutions allegedly orchestrating attacks. Adding to this, there are currently three suspected disposable agents on trial at the Munich Higher Regional Court, accused of planning attacks in Germany.
Final Thoughts
To wrap this up, Russia is playing a significant role in the escalating threat level in Germany, using cyber-attacks, disinformation campaigns, and disposable agents to perpetrate their nefarious deeds. The BfV is on high alert, working tirelessly to prevent attacks, but the political landscape remains challenging, with the AfD being a significant thorn in the side of the constitutional order. It's all about navigating these turbulent waters with care and caution.
References:- [1] NTV Facts Check: How far-right is the AfD really?- [2] Politics: Why AfD is now considered far-right extremist- [3] Panorama: Undercover with Neo-Nazis "Young Girls Enthusiastic About Far-Right Extremism"- [4] Dieter S. Fought in Donezk Court Case Involving Trio Planned Sabotage for Russia- [5] Confusing Statements and Campaigns Why AfD is now considered far-right extremist
- The escalating threat level in Germany is not only due to the rise in far-right extremism, but also the influence of politics, as evident in the surge of far-right extremists in the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, with approximately 20,000 individuals associated with the party.
- The general news landscape also reflects the increasing concern over crime and justice, as the AfD's role in far-right extremism continues to be a topic of discussion, while the BfV's classification of the party as securely far-right extremist remains on hold due to a legal challenge.
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