Karlsruhe, Germany, April 2, (dpa/GNA) – Germany’s top criminal court on Monday, confirmed the prison sentences for several ringleaders of a planned coup, and a plot to kidnap a minister.
The Federal Court of Justice (BGH), based in the western city of Karlsruhe, rejected the appeals of four defendants, against the judgement by the Koblenz Higher Regional Court from March 2025.
The group was accused of founding or being members of a terrorist organization called the “United Patriots” and preparing to carry out treasonous acts against the government, including kidnapping former health minister Karl Lauterbach.
At the time of the arrests in early 2022, Lauterbach had a high profile in Germany as the leader of the government’s policies, to contain the coronavirus pandemic.
The four ringleaders were sentenced to prison terms ranging from five years and nine months to eight years, while a fifth defendant was sentenced to two years and 10 months.
Four of the defendants subsequently appealed the verdicts, but the BGH found no legal mistakes in the judgement.
According to the indictment, the group wanted to plunge Germany into chaos.
Their plan was to use bomb attacks to cripple the country’s power supply, kidnap Lauterbach from a talk show and “take out” his bodyguards.
According to the indictment, they wanted to overthrow the government and appoint new leaders in a constituent assembly, and reintroduce the 1871 imperial constitution.
An actor was to appear on television as the German president or chancellor, and announce the dismissal of the federal government.
An undercover investigator who offered weapons for sale played an important role in the arrest of the accused men, court documents showed.
In total, 38 witnesses gave testimony at the trial.
GNA