display
Berlin (AP) - Around 50 soldiers from the Special Forces Command (KSK) of the Bundeswehr have been targeted by the military counter-intelligence service since 2017 on suspicion of right-wing extremist activities.
Of these, five soldiers were released from the Bundeswehr, 16 others were transferred or left the KSK.
This emerges from an interim report by the Bundeswehr Inspector General, Eberhard Zorn, on the reform of the elite troops, which the Ministry of Defense submitted to the Bundestag Defense Committee on Tuesday.
A right-wing extremist network that "works purposefully and purposefully to eliminate the free democratic basic order was not recognized," says the 30-page report.
"A network of contacts and characteristics of different types and intensities between the individual people in focus has become known, which seems to be carried by a common mindset."
The Military Counter-Intelligence Service (MAD) is currently processing just over 20 right-wing extremist suspected cases in the KSK.
"In about a third of the cases, the status of processing will foreseeably lead to those affected leaving the KSK in the next few weeks or suspected case processing being discontinued," says the interim report.
display
The elite troop stationed in Calw, Baden-Württemberg, had repeatedly made headlines with right-wing extremist incidents since 2017.
It all began in April 2017 with a farewell party for a KSK commander, at which pigs' heads were thrown, right-wing rock was played and the Hitler salute was said to have been shown.
In May 2020, a weapon hiding place with ammunition and explosives was excavated by the police on the property of a KSK soldier in Saxony.
Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (CDU) then had a reform concept drawn up for the troops and promised to crack down on right-wing extremism.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210323-99-942277 / 3
Bundeswehr, Special Forces Command (KSK)