BERLIN (JTA) — In the wake of the recent bombing and massacre in Norway, Germany’s interior minister warned that there are far-right groups in his country that could commit violent attacks.
In an interview published Wednesday in the Rheinische Post, Hans-Peter Friedrich noted that while the number of far-right extremists in Germany has dropped in recent years, the core of extremely violent neo-Nazis and "nationalist anarchists" has risen to about 1,000 individuals. Friedrich described the latter group as primarily young neo-Nazis who model themselves on left-wing anarchists.
"Even if we monitor the scene intensively, it cannot be ruled out that individuals have secretly become radicalized," Friedrich, a member of the conservative Christian Social Union, told the daily newspaper.
He said that those who have gone underground cannot be monitored easily.
"The problem is not the ones we can watch but those who radicalize in hiding," he said.,
Anders Behring Breivik, who has confessed to the bombing and shooting in Norway that killed 76, reportedly sent his manifesto of more than 1,500 pages to German neo-Nazi groups.
But Breivik writes in his manifesto that he had actually distanced himself from neo-Nazis and was banned by the Stormfront white supremacist website for promoting the view that Israel could be an ally against Islam.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
