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lite.cnn.com - on gopher - inofficial | |
ARTICLE VIEW: | |
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German prince accused of leading coup plot goes on trial | |
By Inke Kappeler and Sana Noor Haq, CNN | |
Updated: | |
7:32 AM EDT, Tue May 21, 2024 | |
Source: CNN | |
An aristocrat suspected of planning to overthrow the German government | |
appeared in court on Tuesday, as part of a exposing an alleged plan to | |
storm the country’s parliament. | |
Heinrich XIII Prince Reuss, 72, is accused of leading the plot, which | |
would have led to him becoming Germany’s head of state. The prince | |
appeared at a specially erected high-security courtroom in Frankfurt | |
alongside eight other defendants, including former judge Birgit | |
Malsack-Winkemann, who was allegedly ready to become minister of | |
justice. | |
In total, nine ringleaders accused of treason are believed to have | |
planned the resurrection of the German Reich, or empire, through | |
violence, by storming the Bundestag, the national parliament, and | |
kidnapping President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. | |
Tuesday marks the opening of the second of the three trials across , | |
Frankfurt and Munich, forming one of the biggest anti-terror cases in | |
modern German history. | |
With 27 defendants in total, the case was split into three trials for | |
logistical reasons. In addition to the five judges, two others will be | |
on standby for the Frankfurt trial in the event of a long-term absence. | |
Around 260 witnesses will be summoned and up to 45 officers will ensure | |
security on site. | |
Malsack-Winkemann, an ex-lawmaker for the far-right Alternative for | |
Germany (AfD) party, allegedly led several co-defendants around the | |
Reichstag building scouting the location. | |
The defendants also include former army officers Maximilian Eder and | |
Ruediger von Pescatore, who allegedly shared “a deep aversion to | |
German state institutions and to the democratic basic order,” the | |
Hesse higher regional court said in a statement. | |
The plot by the terror organization to overthrow the German government | |
and install martial law was uncovered in 2022. The group had planned to | |
replace the government with a cabinet-like council and a military wing | |
since August 2021, according to the charges. | |
The plotters amassed almost $550,000 in funds and had access to a | |
massive armory, according to the Public Prosecutor. | |
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