Franco Albrecht

Franco Albrecht is a former German Bundeswehr Leutnant belonging to the Franco-German Brigade. He is suspected of carrying out one or more 'false flag' attacks in the Day X plot — a domestic right-wing terror plot. His case led to investigations about a nation-wide army-based Neo-nazi network in Germany.[1] Franco Albrecht, soldier Maximilian T., student Mathias F. and eleven other persons were suspected members of the group.[2] Albrecht was also a member of the far-right "Hannibal" chat networks, whose constituent groups and members also prepared for "Day X".[3]

Franco Albrecht's case sparked a public debate about right-wing extremist attitudes in the recent Bundeswehr and their traditions in relation to the Wehrmacht. In November 2017 all three known suspects had to be released due to lack of urgent legal suspicion.

Background
Soldiers of German-Franco Brigade, Franco Albrecht was part of at Bastille Day 2013

Franco Albrecht was a professional soldier in the Franco-German Brigade. He studied since September 2009 at military universities in Germany and the French École spéciale militaire de Saint-Cyr in Brittany. There he had written his master's thesis, “political change and subversion strategy” at the French university in 2014. This thesis contains far-right thinking.[4]

Planned attack

Franco Albrecht is accused of planning to carry out right-wing-motivated attacks against political opponents and false flag actions against asylum seekers to undermine the refugee policy of the German government. He successfully was recognized as a Syrian refugee in an asylum procedure. Although he does not speak Arabic, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) granted him limited protection following a hearing in French at the end of 2016.

According to the German Prosecutor General, Albrecht was determined to carry out an act of domestic terrorism (schwere staatsgefährdende Straftat) by assassinating Anetta Kahane, head of the Amadeu Antonio Foundation. According to the prosecution, his intent is proven by Albrecht scouting the location of the Amadeu Antonio Foundation in Berlin, and soon after acquiring a scope and training with it and his rifle. Albrecht is suspected of wanting to frame the intended attack on the refugee whose identity he had faked.[5]

Albrecht was detected with an illegally obtained pistol at Vienna Airport in February 2017.

On April 26, 2017, Lieutenant Franco Albrecht was taken in custody at a command course (Einzelkämpferlehrgang) at the United Nations Training Center of the Bundeswehr in Hammelburg.

The Federal Prosecutor's Office alleged that he planned a right-wing terrorist attack under a false flag, which would be charged to a fictional refugee. The German Federal Prosecutor's Office filed charges against Franco Albrecht in December 2017. He was accused of "preparing a serious, state-damaging act of violence" at the Higher Regional Court in Frankfurt am Main. Albrecht was released from custody at the end of November 2017.[6] The Federal Court of Justice ordered "Franco A." released, ruling that "the results so far of the investigation do not substantiate the strong suspicion that a serious act threatening the state was in preparation"[7] and downloaded the main trial to the district court Darmstadt.

In addition, two other people were arrested in connection with the alleged attack plans, including Maximilian T., a Bundeswehr soldier. Maximilian T. is member of the right-wing party Alternative for Germany (AfD). In November 2017, all suspects were released due to lack of evidence.

In November 2019 the Federal Court of Justice (BGH) has instructed the Higher Regional Court of Frankfurt, to open a process against Franco Albrecht on the accused of "preparing a serious, state-damaging act of violence".[8]

Political debate and research committee

Investigations by news magazine Der Spiegel showed that the Bundeswehr had serious evidence of the extreme right-wing attitude of Franco Albrecht as early as 2014. After his arrest, the Ministry of Defense claimed that until the investigation of the Frankfurt public prosecutor's office, they had known nothing about Albrecht's extremism. Even two security checks by the Military Counterintelligence Service (MAD) supposedly had not found any indication during the eight-year career of the soldier. [9]

In May 2017, a committee formed by the Bundestag investigated the circumstances of this case and interviewed Bundesinnenminister Thomas de Maizière (CDU) and Federal Office for Migration and Refugees-president Jutta Cordt.[10]

References
  1. "Neo-Nazi cell inside German army 'planned to blame terror attack on refugees'". The Independent. May 3, 2017.
  2. "Das Netzwerk des Franco A." onetz.de.
  3. Kaul, Martin (2018-11-16). "Rechtes Netzwerk in der Bundeswehr: Hannibals Schattenarmee". Die Tageszeitung: taz (in German). ISSN 0931-9085. Retrieved 2020-11-26.
  4. Weiland, Severin (May 20, 2017). "Bundeswehrskandal: Der rechte Kosmos des Franco A." – via Spiegel Online.
  5. "Decision of Federal Court, August 22 2019" (PDF). Federal Court Germany. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
  6. "Anklage gegen Franco A. erhoben". fr.de. December 12, 2017.
  7. "Court frees far-right soldier accused of planning attack disguised as refugee". The Local. Agence France Presse. November 29, 2017. Archived from the original on 2018-11-15. Retrieved November 15, 2018.
  8. "BGH entscheidet Rechtsstreit. Doch Terrorprozess gegen Franco A." tageschau.de. Retrieved 2019-11-20.
  9. "Franco A. fiel früh als rechtsextrem auf". Die Zeit. Retrieved 19 November 2019.
  10. Stoltenberg, Helmut. "Deutscher Bundestag - Ausschuss beriet über Fall 'Franco A.'". Deutscher Bundestag.
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