Offenbach (dpa / lhe) - According to the expert Oliver Gottwald, the scene of the so-called Reich citizens should continue to be closely monitored even after the major raid. One cannot assume that the organizational structure revealed is an isolated case, Gottwald told the German Press Agency on Thursday. What was surprising, however, was the state of preparation announced by the investigators and that well-trained people from politics, the military, the judiciary and the nobility were there.
It is becoming known again and again that there are also supporters of right-wing extremist theses in the police and armed forces, said Gottwald, who gives training courses on the subject of "Reich citizens" and works with the Democracy Center Hesse, among others. In the case of radicalization tendencies, action must be taken much earlier and more decisively. "You should be vigilant here, everyone, including everyone personally."
Statements by acquaintances or relatives that point to conspiracy theories should be contradicted, Gottwald said. "Only for those who listen, so that they don't drift off too." That also applies to social media. There are detailed, fact-based explanations on the Internet to refute the allegations. If there are convinced "Reich citizens" in the area, one can turn to state or church authorities. "The sect commissioners of the churches are very good contacts for this," said Gottwald.
Hesse is not a "Reichsbürger" stronghold, in his opinion it is in the middle, said Gottwald, who works as a magistrate and has been observing the scene for years. In general, their theses are popular where AfD and NPD are strong. This is more the case in rural areas than in the cities, in Hesse to a greater extent in the Wetterau and in East Hesse.
According to the federal prosecutor, the "Reichsbürger" group, which was targeted by the raid on Wednesday, is suspected of having formed a terrorist organization that wanted to use armed force to install a new government and would have accepted the dead. A suspected ringleader was arrested in Frankfurt.
