The Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office is primarily focusing its investigations on Islamism and foreign terrorism, according to reporting from “Welt” citing a response from Federal Minister of Justice Anette Kramme to an inquiry by the Green parliamentary group. Concurrently, investigations targeting so-called “Reichsbürger” (citizens believing the current German state is illegitimate) remain at a high level, while procedures related to sabotage and espionage have shown a notable increase since 2024. In comparison, cases involving alleged left- or right-wing extremist perpetrators are comparatively less common in Karlsruhe.
Regarding espionage and sabotage, the Federal Prosecutor General (GBA) initiated a total of 16 proceedings involving 24 suspects in 2024, mainly related to espionage for foreign intelligence services. This number increased to four additional cases in 2025, and the office is currently handling 20 such investigation files. Irene Mihalic, a Green expert on extremism, told “Welt” that the increase since 2024 is worrying, as it indicates the external threats the country is facing.
In the field of Islamist terrorism, the GBA is currently managing 269 cases against 347 suspects, mostly concerning membership in terrorist groups. In 2024, 125 new cases were initiated, rising to 180 in 2025. Many of these cases relate to actions connected to the terrorist militia IS or the Taliban in Syria, Iraq, and Afghanistan.
Right-wing extremist structures are also under scrutiny. In 2025, the GBA launched nine new procedures, bringing the total number of pending cases involving this group to twelve, with 35 suspects. The number of investigations against “Reichsbürger” has risen markedly; following three cases the previous year, 78 new files were opened in 2025. At the heart of these cases is a network accused of planning a violent overthrow and attacks on critical infrastructure.
For left-wing extremism, the GBA launched two new procedures in 2025 involving eleven suspects, bringing the total active cases to 28 against 32 individuals. Some of these cases concern alleged actions by the former Red Army Faction (RAF) from earlier decades. Although attacks on critical infrastructure are frequently attributed to left-wing extremists, investigators have not provided evidence of connections to Russia.
