German special police have arrested a 49-year-old man accused of operating a darknet platform that solicited cryptocurrency donations to fund assassinations of high-profile political figures, including former Chancellors Olaf Scholz and Angela Merkel, prosecutors said Tuesday.

The suspect, identified only as Martin S, was detained Monday evening in Dortmund during a raid carried out by GSG 9, Germany’s elite counterterrorism unit. The arrest followed an investigation by federal authorities into what prosecutors described as a “terrorism-related assassination marketplace.”

According to the Federal Prosecutor’s Office, Martin S had been running the online forum “Assassination Politics” since at least June 2025. The platform allegedly invited users to post names of political figures and others as potential targets, offering cryptocurrency rewards for their deaths.

Prosecutors said the suspect published instructions for making explosives and called for “serious acts of violence against the state.” He is being charged with terror financing, incitement to commit violent acts, and disseminating personal data that endangers the state.

Investigators said a list of more than 20 potential targets was found on the platform, including both Scholz and Merkel.

Authorities also suspect Martin S of links to Germany’s Reichsbürger (Citizens of the Reich) movement — a loose far-right network that rejects the legitimacy of the modern German state and has been associated with violent plots.

German public broadcaster ARD, citing security sources, reported that the suspect had previously participated in COVID-19 protest movements, where extremist narratives often intersected with anti-government sentiment.

The name “Assassination Politics” is believed to reference a controversial essay written in the 1990s by American anti-government activist Jim Bell, which theorized about using digital currencies to crowd-fund political killings anonymously.

Prosecutors said the suspect’s activities went beyond online advocacy and into concrete planning to finance acts of violence.

“The accused is suspected of having set up and operated an online platform to encourage terrorist acts and collect money to carry them out,” the prosecutor’s office said in a statement.

Germany’s domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV), provided intelligence that led to the suspect’s identification and arrest.

Following his detention, authorities seized several electronic devices and storage media for forensic analysis. The suspect holds dual German and Polish citizenship, officials confirmed.

Martin S is expected to appear before a federal investigating judge in Karlsruhe on Wednesday, where prosecutors will request that he remain in custody pending trial.

The case underscores Germany’s increasing concern over extremist activity migrating to encrypted online spaces. Officials have warned that far-right groups are exploiting anonymous platforms and cryptocurrency tools to coordinate and finance potential acts of violence.

Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser praised the operation, calling it a “clear signal that Germany will not tolerate digital terrorism.”

“The internet is not a lawless space,” Faeser said. “Anyone who spreads hate or calls for violence online will face the full force of our security agencies.” (ILKHA)