German Police Crack Down on Violent Gangs, Terrorism, and Prison Violence in Coordinated Raids

On December 3, 2025, German authorities undertook significant law enforcement operations across multiple states targeting violent youth gangs, organized motorcycle clubs, and terrorists linked to ISIS, alongside an incident of attempted murder within a prison.

In Dortmund, a police Special Forces raid at 6 AM targeted a 17-year-old German-Lebanese member of the "Knappi-Gang," a youth group implicated in senseless, violent assaults on civilians. Authorities conducted simultaneous searches at four other homes linked to the gang, which comprises 16- to 19-year-olds from diverse backgrounds including migrants and German citizens. The suspect and at least five accomplices were recorded brutally kicking two victims, an attack treated as attempted manslaughter. Investigators continue to seek additional gang members and evidence from confiscated phones.

Meanwhile, in Thüringen and Saxony, 300 police officers executed searches at 14 sites, including private residences, targeting outlaw motorcycle club affiliates from the Bandidos MC and their supporter club, Gringos MC. Three men were arrested among 21 suspects aged 25 to 63, including women. Charges under investigation include serious robbery extortion, methamphetamine trafficking, and money laundering, as authorities seized luxury goods and vehicles suspected to be purchased with proceeds from criminal activity. This operation ties into previous raids conducted in August across multiple federal states.

In separate anti-terrorism actions, two Iraqi men, Muthana S. and Kais S. J., with prior ISIS involvement from 2016-2017, were apprehended in Trier and Delbrück. Kais reportedly participated in an IS Sharia committee, while Muthana served as a fighter. Following arrests, searches of their homes and those of three other suspects in cities including Cologne and Chemnitz ensued. Both detainees remain in pre-trial detention.

Additionally, an attempted murder occurred inside a Waldshut-Tiengen prison in Baden-Württemberg where a 28-year-old inmate attacked a corrections officer with a carpet knife during a disciplinary meeting. The officer sustained multiple injuries in a struggle before intervention. Prosecutors pressed charges and have issued an arrest warrant.

These coordinated law enforcement efforts emphasize Germany’s ongoing commitment to combating violent crimes, organized criminal networks, and terror threats, safeguarding public security at home.