Two former German Bundeswehr soldiers were arrested on Wednesday by the anti-terrorism justice. The latter are suspected of having wanted to set up a commando of mercenaries to "intervene in the civil war in Yemen", then in other areas of conflict, announced the federal prosecutor's office in Karlsruhe (southwest). "A paramilitary unit of 100 to 150 men", which is said to have been composed mainly of former police officers or soldiers. The two former soldiers said "want to" pacify "the civil war zone and force peace negotiations between the Houthi rebels and the Yemeni government," the statement said.

Arend-Adolf G. and Achim A., of German nationality, were arrested at dawn for attempting to constitute a "terrorist organization".

In this context, Achim A. "tried with perseverance and over a long period of time to initiate a dialogue with officials of the Saudi government" in order to finance the project.

He tried "to establish a channel of communication with the Saudi government agencies and to obtain a meeting date for the submission of their offer," writes the prosecution.

However, "all these efforts have been in vain" for lack of reaction from the Saudis.

40,000 euros per month offered to mercenaries

In the civil war that is tearing Yemen apart, Saudi Arabia has been intervening since 2015 at the head of a military coalition to support pro-government forces.

Houthi rebels, close to Iran, control a large part of northern Yemen, including the capital Sana'a, captured in 2014.

Beyond the deployment in Yemen, the two suspects wanted to offer the services of their "private military company" in other conflicts.

One of the two accused was responsible for recruiting mercenaries and he had, according to justice, already contacted at least seven people for this purpose.

To former members of the Bundeswehr or former police officers, he wanted to offer monthly salaries of around 40,000 euros, says the prosecution.

Paratroopers in the Bundeswehr

Regarding a possible intervention in Yemen, "the two suspects knew that the unit they were to command would inevitably be required to commit murderous acts", writes the federal prosecutor's office, responsible for terrorism cases. "In addition, they expected civilians to be killed and injured in the fighting as well." A spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense assured that the two suspects had not been active in the Bundeswehr for the past 25 years.

The two men were arrested by special forces on Wednesday morning in the district of Breisgau-Hochschwarzwald (south) and Munich (south).

Their apartments and other properties were also searched.

According to the weekly Der Spiegel, Arend-Adolf G. and Achim A. were paratroopers in the Bundeswehr and then both worked for Asgaard, a sultry private security company.

The reputation of the Bundeswehr already tarnished

In 2010, the company created a stir in Berlin by signing a contract with opponents of Somali power.

Asgaard, who actively recruits former members of special Bundeswehr and police units, also came under criticism in 2020 after German media revealed she was the hub of a vast network. far right.

The membership of soldiers, including members of the special forces, to the movement of the radical far right has worried for many months the government of Angela Merkel, which has made racist and anti-Semitic "terrorism" at the forefront of threats.

Several slippages have tarnished the reputation of the Bundeswehr in recent years.

A KSK special forces company was thus dissolved in 2020, because major thefts of ammunition had been observed there and several of its members had carried out the Hitler salute, illegal, at a party.

The war in Yemen devastated the poorest country on the Arabian Peninsula, causing the worst ongoing humanitarian disaster in the world, according to the UN.

It has left tens of thousands of deaths, especially civilians, and millions of displaced people, according to NGOs.

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