(MENAFN) German law enforcement officers have apprehended a far-right extremist suspected of managing a darknet website that encouraged assaults on politicians and offered cryptocurrency rewards for their assassinations, officials announced on Tuesday.

The suspect, identified as Martin S., a dual citizen of Germany and Poland, was taken into custody on Monday evening in the western city of Dortmund, according to the Federal Prosecutor’s Office.

A public broadcaster reported that he was allegedly connected to the radical Reich Citizens movement, citing sources within security agencies.

Prosecutors stated that the 49-year-old had been running an anonymous darknet platform since at least June 2025.

On this site, he allegedly published lists of individuals’ names, issued self-declared death sentences targeting politicians and high-profile public figures, and promoted extremist content.

Authorities further revealed that the platform contained instructions for manufacturing explosives and included private, sensitive information about potential victims. Martin S. purportedly requested cryptocurrency contributions to be used as “bounties” for killing those he targeted.

Federal prosecutors emphasized that there is substantial suspicion the accused was involved in funding terrorism, distributing directions for carrying out grave acts of violence threatening state security, and unlawfully sharing dangerous personal data.

German officials have not disclosed further information regarding which politicians or public servants were singled out on the platform, nor the total amount of cryptocurrency donations collected.

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