Is Germany's far-right populist AfD spying for Russia?

https://www.dw.com/en/is-germanys-far-right-populist-afd-spying-for-russia/a-74490346

Allegations of espionage against the Alternative for Germany (AfD) have been raised by the interior minister of the state of Thuringia. In an interview with Handelsblatt, Social Democrat (SPD) Georg Maier expressed concern that the AfD is abusing its parliamentary powers to gather information about Germany's transport infrastructure, water supply, digital infrastructure and energy supply.

157 points · 24 comments · view on lemmy.world

24 Comments

nesc@lemmy.cafe · 49 pts · 292d (3 replies)

yes

/thread

comrade_twisty@feddit.org · 10 pts · 292d (2 replies)

Followed by machste nix.

Atherel@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 5 pts · 292d (1 reply)

tja

GenosseFlosse@feddit.org · 1 pts · 291d

Nein doch oh!

HowRu68@lemmy.world · 34 pts · 292d

There have been already many inquiries and some trials, like the one with Krah But Afd's behavior continues to be suspicious considering:

"He pointed out that the Thuringian branch of the AfD had submitted 47 such inquiries to the state parliament in the past 12 months alone — and with "increasing intensity and depth of detail.

The AfD is particularly interested in IT and equipment used by the police, for example in the area of drone detection and defense," Maier said. Equipment used in civil protection, health care and Bundeswehr activities are also the subject of inquiries.:

DreamAccountant@lemmy.world · 29 pts · 292d (1 reply)

YES! They're all nazis. Get the nazis out of your government! Immediately!

yoriaiko@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 2 pts · 291d

For non-Germany: nazis are fucks, but even more fucks are peoples who votes them up. Democracy haw this flaw, even stupidest or naziest fuck can be voted on, and if they gain lots of votes, may do the rules.

For Germany: Combat Democracy, that is able to self defence, by making any anti-democracy movement illetal, horary for that! Unless this system also have some flaws and it is not easy to execute these laws (but thats still way better than rest of the world).

supersquirrel@sopuli.xyz · 20 pts · 292d

Do bears shit in the woods?

JensSpahnpasta@feddit.org · 17 pts · 292d (2 replies)

If you want to know how that looks like, here they are asking about military transports to Ukraine and their security measures:

https://parldok.thueringer-landtag.de/ParlDok/dokument/103629/transit_militaerischer_gueter_durch_thueringen.pdf

HowRu68@lemmy.world · 12 pts · 292d

Tnx! This Mühlmann has like 1.5 A4 pages of 12 very specific questions relating to military transport and security . How obvious can you be?! Fucking idiot.

cronenthal@discuss.tchncs.de · 5 pts · 292d

That's much worse than I imagined. I would hope the MAD is taking a very close look into him, but somehow I doubt it.

rustydrd@sh.itjust.works · 16 pts · 292d (2 replies)

There are multiple well-documented cases of AfD politicians colluding with Russian state actors (Petr Bystron, Maximilian Krah), and the same is true for many other figures in the European extreme right. Even if these people weren't actively passing on information, which they probably are doing, they are far too stupid to not accidentally leak information to the Russian secret service.

FleetingTit@feddit.org · 4 pts · 291d (1 reply)

Just to make sure we do not spread misinformation here:

Maximilian Krah is accused of spying for China, not Russia. Same goes for his former aide Jian G.: he is convicted on a charge of espionage for China.

rustydrd@sh.itjust.works · 2 pts · 291d

I was referring to their activities for Voice of Europe, a Russian news organization that provided lucrative speaking gigs to both Bystron and Krah and many other right-wing politicians. The full-blown espionage that Krah was also involved in through his aide (Jian G.) is a separate matter. I was trying to "steel-man" the argument that, even if by ignorance, they pass on information at least recklessly. Sorry, I should've specified what "actors" I meant.

AngularViscosity@piefed.social · 15 pts · 292d

At this point, I assume everyone on the far right has some ties to Russia.

Hotznplotzn@lemmy.sdf.org · 12 pts · 292d

Yes, for Russia and China ...

Gudl@feddit.org · 11 pts · 292d

Yes

cronenthal@discuss.tchncs.de · 10 pts · 292d

Quite obviously and shamelessly. It's crazy we allow this.

CreativeCider@feddit.org · 9 pts · 292d

Yes of course

Klimaschutz@feddit.org · 7 pts · 291d

Beatrix von Storch recently said she gave Trumps administration private info from military officials - afd members travel to moscow - yes yes yes it is another reason for a ban of them - Vance you bitch, they are full of this it's not free SPEACH or so. 👁️

FleetingTit@feddit.org · 7 pts · 291d

Russia [...] is also a country that some hope could be a champion for a world of free and sovereign states without hegemonic influence.

Riiight. The country that meddles in the politics or questions the sovereignty of basically all of it's neighbours is a champion for a world without hegemonic influence.

AllNewTypeFace@leminal.space · 4 pts · 291d

Is the Pope Catholic?

theuniqueone@lemmy.dbzer0.com · -12 pts · 292d (1 reply)

Maybe but Libs really have to stop blaming their home grown far right as nothing but a proxy for the scary official foreign enemy nation.

HowRu68@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 292d

Yes, many political parties need to reinvent themselves and regain trust and democratic legitimacy with voters.

Many critique the Afd for the obvious right winged (fascist) connotations, but apart from their populist rhetoric, which is bad enough, they are traitors to Germany, Europe and democracy in general. It doesn't compare at all.