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Dortmund Arrest Over Darknet ‘Bounty’ Site Targeting Politicians; Suspect Remanded

Prosecutors are pursuing a terrorism‑financing case tied to a Darknet site soliciting crypto ‘bounties’ for killings.

Overview

  • A 49-year-old dual German-Polish suspect, identified as Martin S., was detained Monday night in Dortmund by BKA officers with federal special units and placed in pre-trial detention after a hearing Tuesday in Karlsruhe.
  • Investigators say he anonymously ran an “Assassination Politics” platform since at least June 2025 that posted self-styled death sentences, bomb-making instructions, and sensitive personal data.
  • More than 20 people were listed as targets, reportedly including former chancellors Angela Merkel and Olaf Scholz, as well as judges and prosecutors, with authorities still notifying those affected.
  • The site has been disabled by the BKA; security services attribute the suspect to the Reichsbürger milieu and note he was on authorities’ radar since 2020 after incidents at COVID-era protests.
  • Federal prosecutors are investigating suspected terrorism financing, instruction to commit a severe state‑endangering violent act, and dangerous dissemination of personal data, while probing any crypto payments and possible accomplices.