The raids took place at 20 locations across the country during a dawn operation in Leipzig, Dresden, and neighboring Poland. Searches were also conducted in Austria.
The militant group "Sächsische Separatisten" consists, according to the investigation, of 15-20 individuals, "whose ideology is characterized by racist, anti-Semitic, and partially apocalyptic ideas". The group's members mainly consist of younger men who reject Germany's democratic system and believe that the country is on the verge of collapse.
The group is waiting for a "day x" when they plan to take control of Saxony and other former East German regions by force.
According to Der Spiegel, one of the suspected members is a member of the youth organization of the party Alternative für Deutschland. He was also shot during the arrest, but sustained minor injuries.
The group has undergone paramilitary training with a focus on "urban warfare and handling of firearms". Several of them were already known to the police and are active in the right-wing extremist online environment.
