Overview
- The Munich Higher Regional Court opened the case Wednesday against three men tied to the far-right Kaiserreichsgruppe, part of the Reichsbürger scene that rejects Germany’s democratic order.
- Prosecutors say main defendant Rainer S., 62, belonged to a terrorist group and prepared high treason by drafting laws for a post-coup regime where he would serve as environment minister.
- Co-defendants Achim M., 60, and Joachim K., 71, are charged with supporting a terrorist organization, and prosecutors also allege an illegal weapons offense by K.
- The indictment cites plans to kidnap then health minister Karl Lauterbach during a TV appearance and to cripple the power grid to spark civil-war-like unrest.
- Court filings describe a 2021 letter to Vladimir Putin seeking support for restoring an authoritarian Reich, and the court set 16 hearing days with a possible verdict on June 19.