Around 3,000 police officers have carried out raids across Germany to stop an alleged plot by a far-right terrorist group to overthrow the government.

Federal prosecutors said 25 suspected members and supporters of the Reichsburger group – the so-called Reich Citizens movement – were detained during the raids in 11 of the country’s 16 states early on Wednesday.

Twenty-two German citizens were detained on suspicion of “membership in a terrorist organisation”, and three others, including a Russian citizen, are suspected of supporting the group.

Armed police are reported to have stormed up to 100 properties across Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bavaria, Berlin, Hesse, Lower Saxony, and Thuringia, as well Austria and Italy.

A man referred to as Prince Heinrich XIII, 71, is believed to be central to the group’s activities and was among those arrested.

Der Spiegel reported that the barracks of Germany’s special forces unit the KSK in the southwestern town of Calw was one of the locations raided.

The Reichsburger movement brings together several far-right groups whose aim is to get rid of the current government and replace it with their own.

According to the authorities members of the group have been preparing to “carry out actions based on their ideology” since November 2021.

Related posts:

G7 needs to start sharing vaccines with poorer countries now, says Unicef Putin critic Alexei Navalny loses sentence appeal ‘A flood area twice the size of the UK’: The town ‘smashed’ as water levels rose 40ft in hours Mount Sinabung volcano erupts, spewing ash 4,500m into the sky PM urged to expand scheme to allow former Afghan interpreters to resettle in UK Spain’s former king Juan Carlos accused of harassment by ex-lover No women elected in Qatar’s first ever legislative polls Pandora Papers: Biggest document leak yet reveals secrets of how powerful stash their cash Trenches and blockades to halt Russian troops: After launching ambush Ukrainian soldiers prepare for attack on Kyiv ‘A new stage of terror’: Zelenskyy likens Russian troops to IS after city’s mayor is ‘kidnapped’ At least 800 families are suffering from a mystery illness in North Korea, with Kim sending medicine Deal reached between Russia and Ukraine to resume grain exports from Black Sea ports