5 Found Guilty in Plot Against German Government

In a significant legal development, a German court concluded a high-profile case on Thursday, sentencing five individuals for their involvement in a far-right conspiracy aimed at toppling the government and abducting a former health minister. The convicted individuals received varying lengths of prison sentences from the Koblenz Higher Regional Court.

The sentences ranged from five years and nine months to eight years for the four primary conspirators, while a fifth individual was handed a sentence of two years and ten months, according to reports from German news outlets. The group, comprised of four men between the ages of 46 and 58 and a 77-year-old woman, faced charges of establishing or participating in a terrorist organization known as the “United Patriots.” They were also accused of planning an act of high treason against the German government.

Throughout the proceedings, federal prosecutors emphasized the group’s connection to the “Reich Citizens” movement, which denies the legitimacy of Germany’s postwar constitution. This group bears similarities to movements such as Sovereign Citizens and QAnon in the United States. The prosecutors argued that the conspirators’ strategy involved fostering “conditions similar to civil war,” aiming to achieve this through coordinated power disruptions and the dramatic kidnapping of Karl Lauterbach. Lauterbach is a notable figure due to his advocacy for stringent COVID-19 measures during the global pandemic.

While there was no indication that the “United Patriots” were on the verge of executing their coup, evidence presented by the prosecutors highlighted the group’s acquisition of weapons and funds, which they argued signaled their capacity for criminal intent. The case surrounding these convictions is distinct from another investigation involving more than two dozen individuals apprehended in December 2022. That separate plot also aimed at overthrowing the government and included members affiliated with the far-right Alternative for Germany party.