New trial against Reich citizens”: focus on weapons depot in Mosbach!

New trial against Reich citizens”: focus on weapons depot in Mosbach!

The Mosbach regional court has set new dates for a trial against five suspected supporters of the “Reichsbürger” scene who are in the firing line for illegal weapon possession. The trial for the defendants, including the family of the well-known “Reich citizen” Ingo K., is now scheduled to begin on July 28, 2023. They were previously scheduled to appear in May, but stayed away without an excuse, which prevented the trial from starting. This is reported by the South German newspaper.

The defendants are Heiko A., his wife, two sons and the partner of one son. They are suspected of having nine firearms, including an automatic rifle, in April and May 2022. An escalation occurred during a police operation in Boxberg, which was necessary because of Ingo K.'s illegal possession of weapons. K. opened fire on the officers, injuring two. The cache of weapons was located on an area shared by the defendants and, according to prosecutors, also included 38 cannabis plants grown by two of the defendants.

The background to the police operation

The police operation in question in April 2022 was originally intended to confiscate a pistol from Ingo K., but the situation got out of control. The officers were faced with a significant arsenal of weapons, including fully automatic rifles and a large amount of ammunition. Part of the residential building where the weapons were stored burned down during the operation. Ingo K. was ultimately sentenced to 14 years and six months in prison in November 2023. Heiko A. and his wife also refused to testify in this case, they report SWR Current.

The Karlsruhe public prosecutor's office assumes that Heiko A. and his family were not only content with owning weapons, but were also active in cannabis cultivation. The charges include violations of the Weapons Act and the War Weapons Control Act, which can result in penalties of up to five years in prison for violations. There is a climate behind the process that reflects the radicalization of such groups in Germany.

The “Reichsbürger” scene in numbers

In Baden-Württemberg the number of “Reich citizens” and self-administrators is growing. In 2023 this will amount to around 4,000 people, and nationwide it will be around 25,000. Around 10 percent of this milieu are considered to be violent, and the threat posed by the “Reich citizens” is considered to be high. This group rejects the Federal Republic of Germany and its democratic structures and contributes to general insecurity.

If the defendants continue to be confronted with the legal consequences of their actions, the trial before the Mosbach regional court will be exciting to watch in the next few weeks. Five trial dates are scheduled, and a first verdict could be announced as early as August 8, 2023 if the legal situation does not change.