Far-right plot in Germany

There was worrying news in Germany, where members of a far-right group were arrested last week for plotting large-scale terrorist attacks on mosques. Their plans were similar to those of the lone gunman that attacked multiple locations in New Zealand last year. German officials said on Monday that investigations into 12 men detained by the police on Friday had indicated that they planned several simultaneous mass-casualty assaults on Muslims during prayers. A spokesman for the German interior ministry expressed shock at how quickly the group had become radicalised. Chancellor Angela Merkel’s office committed the German state and government’s duty and resolve to protect the free practice of religion, “with no reference to what religion it might be”.

German authorities deserve credit for averting any loss of life. It appears that investigators learned about the plot from someone who had infiltrated the group. The alleged leader of the group was already under surveillance. He had detailed his plans at a meeting with his accomplices last week. One of the arrested accomplices was a police officer who had previously been suspended for having ties to the far right. He had even called Germany’s government a “radical left dictatorship”. The government, ironically, is headed by the centre-right Christian Democratic Union. While German authorities were quick to act this time, the country’s far-right has been active in violence for a while now, even killing a local politician.

Indeed, the rise of the far-right is not just a German problem, but a global one. Apart from European and North American white nationalism, the Hindutva in India and Muslim extremists also base their actions on ideologies that fall on the farthest edge of the right.

Much like Germany, Pakistan knows all too well that political patronage can allow the far-right ideologies to thrive and become a machine that takes generations to dismantle. Unfortunately, too many countries, even those that have suffered under far-right regimes, are ignoring the threat. They do so at their own peril. While some say adversity builds character, we cannot wish the adversity of the militancy era on any people.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 19^th, 2020.

Like Opinion & Editorial on Facebook, follow @ETOpEd on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.