Thread by @GIRD_S

Tomorrow, trial against German #army 1st lieutenant Franco A. will start. He is charged with plotting a false flag extreme right #terrorist attack. It is one of the strangest and most shocking cases involving active duty #military personnel and far right terrorism. Short thread.

Before zooming in on this case, here is a background reader on the history of far right #extremism and the #military in Germany, the UK, the US, and Canada we wrote for .@ICCT_TheHague in September 2019: bit.ly/3ov9tQI

Franco A. was arrested February 3, 2017 at Vienna airport by Austrian authorities while trying to retrieve a gun he had hidden there earlier. He was an active duty 1st lieutenant in the German army then. He was let go. However, Austrians informed German military intelligence.

April 26, 2017, he was arrested again, this time by German authorities, and suspected of plotting a far right terrorist attack. Two alleged co-conspirators (among them another 1st lieutenant) were arrested as well. Later, charges against the other officer were dropped.

The third co-conspirator, Mathias F., was convicted of weapons crimes and sentenced to one year probation in September 2019.

On December 1, 2017, the German Federal Proscutor General charged Franco A. with plotting a signficant violent act threatening the state. At first, the responsible court dismissed the terrorism charges. Astonishingly, prosecution appealed this decision before German High Court.

Finally, on November 19, 2019, the German High Court (BGH) allowed the terrorism charges after extensive additional investigations which uncovered loads of new evidence, such as extreme right propaganda material and information shedding light on Franco A.'s potential ideology.

The case plunged the German army and the Ministry of Defence into a heated debate about right wing extremism in its ranks. An ad hoc search of all barracks and removal of all paraphernalia even remotely connected to WWII was ordered.

The case of Franco A. is special for many reasons, such as the alleged plot: he lived a double life posing as a Syrian refugee since December 2015, even collecting financial benefits. It is alleged he wanted to blame his attack on refugees out of his extreme right views.

He is also alleged to have plotted assassinations of German left wing politicians and non-governmental activists, which he collected on a "death list" and had also begun to reconnoiter his potential victims' offices and living spaces.

In addition to the insanity of the plot and the fact that he was able to live a double life while leading quite a successful career as Germany army officer, we rarely have so much information about a terror suspect's biography.

In part, this comes from his own statements, as Franco A. gave multiple media outlets detailed interviews (including with his family) and access to personal information (such as teenage diaries). Just few days ago, A. gave a 45 minutes interview to Russian media (tellingly).

Next to his teenage diaries (which were leaked to the public) he also wrote a Master thesis in 2013 at the elite French military college Saint-Cyr. The fact that he was selected to study there shows that A. was regarded as intelligent and high potential by his army superiors.

Should A. be convicted, this thesis would be one of the most detailed insights into the theoretical-ideological mindset of a right-wing terrorist in an earlier radicalization stage. It's not comparable to active stage manifestos but rather a peek into his ideological development.

We have assessed the thesis and it is absolutely packed with tons of extreme right references and ideological narratives, racism, and anti-Semitism. There is clear evidence of "Great Replacement" thought, mysogeny, and wildest far right conspiracy theories.

The thesis was flagged immediately and reported to his German superiors who confronted him. In the end, he received a reprimand and was allowed to write another thesis. The French found that any soldier of their own would have been fired for such racist views.

Even though investigated, the incident was not reported to military intelligence and the case was closed without further actions. Franco A. had graduated as second best from his officer class and was seen as an elite soldier. This might have protected him from further scrutiny.

Written and audio-recorded diary entries, thousands of messenger chats, and tons of other material provide unique insights into his political development, long standing admiration for Adolf Hitler and the Wehrmacht, racist and pro-violence attitudes and much more.

Franco A. was also connected to other networks of alleged far right terrorists with military and police background currently under investigation (such as the Hannibal network). Illegal ammunition, explosive manuals and more was found at his home as well.

All of this is just a tiny glimpse into the abyss that the case of Franco A. essentially is, evolving around far right terrorism, long nurtured hate and conspiracy fanaticism, the military, and many missed warning signs.

How is he himself trying to spin the story? In the recent Russia Today interview, he essentially claims to have investigated on his own the potential loopholes in the Germany asylum system for jihadists posing as refugees. He wanted to infiltrate the system as a proof of concept.

The ammunitions and weapons? He wanted to be prepared for a potential breakdown of order and a Russian or Chinese attack (imagine the look on his Russian host's face).

Franco A. is trying to portray the trial as politically motivated persecution for his success in embarrassing the German government. Asked what he wants to do should he not be sentenced to prison, Franco A. answers: "I want to continue my career as a soldier."

Ending this thread, the upcoming trial will be pivotal on many grounds. It will show the robustness of certain charges and level of evidence against right wing terrorists and likely set future frameworks for prosecutors and investigators.

It will also take a deep dive into his networks and radicalization within German military. Undoubtably, we will learn a great deal about all of these aspects in the trial. Since there is such a strong focus on #military and the extreme right now, this case is crucial to follow.