The head of German domestic intelligence, Thomas Haldenwang, said that a group of far-right figures and former army officers planned the "coup" attempt, which Berlin announced yesterday, Wednesday, as a planned thwart.
Haldenwang told state TV network ZDF on Wednesday evening that a group of far-right and former army officers "bought weapons" to carry out the coup plan.
"The group had a large network across the country, they had specific plans, and they were ready to use violence, even if it meant killing people," he added.
The security official explained that the group "was subjected, in the past two months, to the surveillance of the security services."
He confirmed that the authorities decided to launch an anti-terror operation after it became clear that the group had "concrete plans to overthrow the government by violent means."
Yesterday, Wednesday, the German authorities announced the arrest of 25 far-right figures, including former army officers and 3 foreigners, on charges of planning to carry out a "coup."
"The competent authorities thwarted a coup plot by launching attacks seeking to create chaos in the country and seize power," the Federal Prosecutor's Office said in a statement.
The statement indicated that 52 suspects participated in the scheme, including a group affiliated with the Reich Citizens Movement (extreme right), and former officers, according to the same statement.
The "Citizens of the Reich" movement does not recognize the existing German political system, nor the German state in its current form, and in turn recognizes the German Empire.