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Dortmund, Germany — “The number of offences has risen considerably over earlier years,” he added, without giving comparative figures.
A former neo-Nazi from eastern Germany, who has since left the scene and spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals, said new recruits discover the Autonomous Nationalists are a restless bunch, always plotting their next move.
“When you’re in that scene, it’s like you’re living in a parallel universe to normal society,” said the 25-year-old, who never joined the AN but often stayed at its flats.
The neo-Nazis methodically prepare their attacks against anyone who opposes their radical views, he said.
Much of the work they do mirrors that of private investigators: researching targets, staking out locations and taking pictures of opponents to match faces to names.
Many do not work, living off welfare from a democratic state they vehemently oppose as well as donations from sympathetic outsiders.
“They are also able to secure weapons through contacts in other countries, such as Bulgaria or Switzerland,” he said. “If you need something, it’s possible for them to get it across the border.”
PUSH-BACK
Alerted to the threat, Dortmund is among the cities that is taking measures.
Police raided AN clubhouses and apartments in Dortmund and two other cities in August, seizing weapons and propaganda material.
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