Radical Right-wing Faction "Kombat 89": Intensified Radicalization via TikTok
In the town of Hagen, authorities are investigating a local neo-Nazi group named "Kombat 89". The group, known for its aggressive online presence on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, has been under scrutiny since a raid on the suspected leader's residence uncovered illegal weapons and data.
The leader, an 18-year-old from Hagen, is said to have lived with his parents. The parents have expressed concern about their son's far-right activities but are reported to be relieved that he seems to have left the extremist scene, possibly due to public reporting and police investigations.
Another suspected member of the group, a 19-year-old from Herdecke, has also been identified. He was seen wearing a "Kombat 89" T-shirt in group photos. The youth from Herdecke has claimed to have distanced himself from the group, stating he initially didn't realize it was heading in a far-right direction.
The activities of "Kombat 89" were first uncovered by a research team from the Ruhr area. Their investigations revealed that many of the group's videos and images are set to a hard techno beat and feature aggressive imagery, such as Iron Crosses and machine guns.
The youth wing of the far-right party "Die Heimat", known as the "Young Nationalists", has been active in the Ruhr area. They have integrated themselves into the party's structures and have helped organize demonstrations. Lois Wagner, an activist with the "Young Nationalists", openly admits to deliberately targeting young people with right-wing propaganda.
Elsewhere in the region, Dortmund's neo-Nazi scene has been actively recruiting new members for months. This was evident in the establishment of the youth wing of the far-right party "Die Heimat" in Dortmund last year.
In a positive development, a demonstration under the motto "Hand in Hand against the Right" is being organized by the alliance "Herdecke against the Right" on August 30. The event aims to counter the rising far-right activities in the region.
It is important to note that, at this time, there is no publicly available confirmed information regarding the suspected members of Kombat 89 or their places of residence beyond the details provided in this report. For more detailed intelligence about this group, consulting specialized law enforcement or security agency reports beyond public sources would be necessary.
The 'Kombat 89' neo-Nazi group, under scrutiny in Hagen, has had connections traced to the 'Young Nationalists', the youth wing of the far-right party 'Die Heimat', which has been active in the Ruhr area. The escalating far-right activities in the region, such as the recruitment in Dortmund, have led to a response with a planned event named "Hand in Hand against the Right" on August 30, organized by the alliance "Herdecke against the Right". However, the exact locations of suspected 'Kombat 89' members, beyond the known leader from Hagen and another from Herdecke, remain undisclosed to the public, necessitating further investigation by specialized law enforcement or security agencies.
