Munich: Ex-Bundeswehr soldier under suspicion of terrorism was active in the CSU – Munich

The former Bundeswehr soldier Achim A., who was arrested in Munich on Wednesday on suspicion of wanting to form a terrorist organization, is obviously connected to the local CSU. In any case, he appeared as a speaker and panelist at party events. And he states on his homepage that he has been a member of the district association for more than two decades. Hans Theiss, the chairman of the Munich-Mitte district, confirms membership, but says he can hardly remember A. Other leading CSU politicians also assure that they do not know the man.

Until his arrest, the former paratrooper worked as a freelance lecturer in politics and as a security advisor in the broadest sense. Its territory extended as far as the crisis regions of the Middle East. The fact that he supposedly wanted to set up a mercenary force for use in Yemen with a former Bundeswehr comrade this year has now led to arrest by the federal police. The Federal Prosecutor’s Office classifies the privately operated military company as a terrorist organization because it “wanted to be available for operations in other conflicts”, as stated in a statement.

Not so long ago, the suspect from Munich was apparently several times a guest at CSU events in the city. He discussed the political situation in the Middle East at least twice, with particular reference to the Islamic State. “He once gave a lecture in front of maybe 20 or 25 people, but it was not conspicuous,” recalls the district chairman Theiss. Since then, he assures us, he has only seen the suspect briefly once again: when he tuned in during a digital board meeting.

Theiss’ party colleague Michael Kuffer says nothing of the lecture that Achim A. gave at the time has stuck in my mind, neither the event nor the man. Kuffer was explicitly announced next to Achim A. on the list of participants in the round that was announced as an “expert talk”. The former member of the Bundestag Kuffer does not want to deny that he was there, but assures: “I actually don’t know the man. I can’t say anything about his work in the CSU.” He is not a foreign politician, but a domestic politician, adds Kuffer; he therefore had “no contact” with the suspect.

Florian Hahn, who is a member of the Bundestag for the constituency of Munich-Land and also the district chairman, does not claim to have had any contact with the arrested man. “I do not know Mr. A. personally,” said Hahn on request. “He is neither a member of my CSU district association, nor has he appeared at events of the CSU Munich-Land.” But at least one organization led by Achim A. is located in the district, and he was also active in a local rifle club. In addition, Hahn has been chairing the working group for foreign and security policy in the Bavarian CSU since 2014 – a body in which Achim A. claims to have been involved at the district level.

Hans Theiss, the district chairman, points out the presumption of innocence in the Achim A. case, but also says: “If the allegations prove to be true, one must think about a party exclusion process.” His party colleague Florian Hahn let it be known that the “serious allegations must be fully clarified. I expect the Federal Public Prosecutor’s Office to quickly shed light on this”.

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