German Prosecutor Warns of New Nationwide Terror Group

May 10, (EIRNS)--Following the police raids on 40 sites across six northern states of Germany, Federal Prosecutor Monika Harms warned of the formation of a new terrorist group capable of carrying out violent attacks throughout the country. Although the attacks would be aimed at protesting the upcoming G-8 meeting to be held in Heiligendamm in June, the German government is concerned that certain groups have crossed the line from militant protest to actual terror.

Following the police raids, which involved 900 officers, Anti-Fa and other anarchist groups provoked riots or held demonstrations in 12 cities across northern Germany, Hamburg being the most serious.

"The militant extreme left groups and their members are suspected of having founded a terrorist group, or of being members of such an organization, with the specific goal of staging fire bombings and other violent attacks in order to disrupt or prevent the upcoming G-8 summit in Heiligendamm," a statement from the federal prosecutors office declared as reported by the Associated Press. According to a report in today's Financial Times, Harms, who is heading an investigation into the activities of these militant groups, said the raids were aimed to gathering "evidence on the people involved and the structure" of the alleged terrorist group. The authorities have 18 people under investigation, some of whom are believed to belong to the "Militante Gruppe", which last year attacked an economic research institute in Berlin.

Militant attacks, including burning cars and paint bombs, have occurred over the last 12 months. Among the most serious was a paint bomb attack on the home and the burning of the car last December of Thomas Mirow, State Secretary of the German Ministry of Finance and head of the G-8 organizing committee.