German officials: Ex-soldiers tried to form mercenary group

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s federal prosecutor has charged two former soldiers with trying to form a terrorist organization by allegedly attempting to build a mercenary group that would have intervened in the military conflict in Yemen. The federal prosecutor’s office said in a statement Thursday that “the defendants are sufficiently suspected of having attempted, as ringleaders, to establish a terrorist organization.” They said the men allegedly have decided in early 2021 to create their own mercenary group of between 100 and 150 former soldiers or members of the police. Both suspects, who are German citizens and former members of the Bundeswehr, were detained in October.