Teenagers arrested in raids on German far-right group

German police staged early morning raids yesterday against an alleged far-right terrorist cell suspected of attacks against asylum seekers and political enemies, arresting five teenage suspects, federal prosecutors said.

- Deborah Cole

The operation targeting a neo-Nazi group calling itself Last Defence Wave was the latest move against groups officials say are working to destabilise Germany's democratic order.

Four of those arrested - named only as Benjamin H, Ben-Maxim H, Lenny M and Jason R, in line with German legal rules - are suspected of membership of a "domestic terror organisation". The fifth, Jerome M, is accused of supporting the group.

Two of the suspects are accused of attempted murder and aggravated arson. All five are German citizens between the ages of 14 and 18.

Prosecutors said they were also investigating three other people, aged 18 to 21, who were already in custody in connection with the case. The arrests took place in three states and were accompanied by searches at 13 properties in five regions.