Plans for mercenary troops ?: Ex-soldiers are suspected of terrorism

Mercenary Troop Plans?
Ex-soldiers are under suspicion of terrorism

Two former soldiers of the Bundeswehr are suspected of wanting to set up a paramilitary combat group. The troops are intended to be deployed in the Yemen War, from which the men expect one thing above all: a lot of money. Now the federal prosecutor intervenes.

The Federal Prosecutor’s Office arrested two former Bundeswehr soldiers on suspicion that they were trying to found a terrorist organization. The two men had planned since the beginning of the year to form a 100 to 150-strong mercenary force under their command, the authority said. With this group they would then have wanted to intervene in the civil war in Yemen.

“The primary driving force behind this project for the two accused was the prospect of a targeted monthly mercenary wage of around 40,000 euros for each member of the unit,” said the statement from the Federal Prosecutor’s Office. The men therefore hoped that “third parties, preferably Saudi Arabia” would take care of the financing. One of them tried “persistently” to contact the Saudi Arabian government, but without success.

The accused men had intended to “pacify” the civil war area with their paramilitary troops and to force peace negotiations between the Houthi rebels and the Yemeni government, the Karlsruhe investigative authority continued. The two were aware that “acts of killing” would also have to be carried out. “They also expected that civilians would be killed and injured in connection with fighting.”

In addition to the deployment in Yemen, the men are said to have planned to continue to operate their mercenary troops “as a so-called private military enterprise”. The combat group should therefore also be available for missions in other conflicts.

According to the federal prosecutor’s office, one of the two accused was responsible for the recruitment and recruitment of the mercenaries. He has already contacted at least seven people. According to the investigators, the mercenary force should mainly consist of former members of the Bundeswehr or former police officers.

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