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A company sending bodyguards to Iraq is suspected of being influenced by right-wing extremists. You should maintain a network that extends to the authorities.
By Georg Heil and Lisa Wandt, rbb
Several German security authorities are dealing with the Hamm-based company Asgaard, an investigation conducted by the Contrast ARD-Politikmagazins in cooperation with the news magazine “Der Spiegel”. The authorities are concerned that Asgaard maintains close contacts with the Bundeswehr and with various German security authorities at the federal and state levels. The company appears to be influenced by right-wing extremists.
Asgaard’s business consists primarily of recruiting and placing security personnel, mostly former special forces of the armed forces and police, for an order involving personal and property protection in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. In the photos, Asgaard employees pose heavily armed with assault rifles and a German flag on their chests; optically they look like a special military unit.
Headquarters with painting of the Wehrmacht
Contrasts and “Spiegel” video recordings of the interior of Asgaard’s Baghdad headquarters from 2017 are available. The material clearly shows: a Reich war flag on the wall and the slogan “Don’t complain, fight”, which comes from the Nazi era; next to it is a drawing of the head of a Wehrmacht soldier.
The operations center also recalls the times of the Wehrmacht: the inscriptions like “Operationszentrale” and “Letrine” are in Fraktur typeface. Meanwhile, Asgaard employees must be housed in another building, there must be no relevant wall decorations.
Right-wing director
Dirk G., a former Bundeswehr paratrooper, runs Hamm’s company. G., several sources attest Contrasts, is said to have repeatedly expressed himself as a racist. A photo that Contrasts is available, shows G. with a bust of a Wehrmacht soldier, laughing, pointing a finger at an iron cross on the bust.
Another image, which is supposed to show the statue up close, clearly shows a swastika on the iron cross. At the request of Contrasts G. explains: “At no time have the employees of my company expressed themselves benevolently in my presence about the symbols of the Nazi state of injustice. I have never done this myself.”
Time and time again, as former and active company employees report, G. is said to have stirred up politics at his company. It is said that he questioned the legitimacy of the Federal Republic of Germany. When asked, G. explains “The legitimacy of the Federal Republic of Germany results from the respective constitutional treaties.”
Threats against members of the Bundestag?
Dirk G. is said to have repeatedly expressed hostility towards Martina Renner, a member of the Bundestag, of the Left Party. This is testified by Bilaal Zaher, who worked for the Hamm-based company until the end of February and remains G.’s business partner in Iraq. Zaher clearly distances himself from G. and wants to have initiated the dissolution of business contacts.
“Ms. Renner was Dirk G.’s number one enemy. In a conversation with me, he said that Ms. Renner had to be eliminated,” says Zaher. If the government were overthrown, it would be the first option, explains Zaher instead of the oath. Contrasts.
G. contradicts a former business partner
When asked, Dirk G. explains that Ms. Renner, of course, enjoys his respect. She referred to the commercial disagreements with Mr. Zaher and emphasized: “At no time have I called for criminal acts against third parties, not even to the extent that they are members of governments, nor have I endorsed them.”
Bundestag member Renner had asked parliamentary questions about Asgaard in the past. She believes that the hustle and bustle of the company is dangerous. “They are professionally trained, they can dispose of weapons at any time and it has been made clear to them, I would also say hardened, that they can imagine the violent, perhaps fatal, approach against people,” says Renner. Contrasts.
In mid-July, G. is said to have invited selected individuals to a confidential meeting at Hamm; It should also have been about the future of the company, because the employees apparently disagree. Bilaal Zaher cites the right-wing extremist views of Dirk G. as the reason, who in turn accuses Zaher of embezzlement, which Zaher strongly denies.
Terrorist investigations against soldiers of the Bundeswehr
The meeting participant was after Contrasts-The information also includes a 40-year-old soldier from Neubrandenburg, who is now under suspicion of terrorism. How Contrasts He knew exclusively, the soldier was attacked by the military counterintelligence service as early as 2018 after a constitutional protection notice because he was in contact with a known right-wing extremist.
When he learned of MAD’s interest in himself, he is said to have issued death threats against MAD employees. When questioned, this was confirmed by the Rostock prosecutor’s office, which is investigating the man for “preparing an act of serious violence that is dangerous to the state.” Last Monday, around 70 officers searched the soldier’s home and business premises.
“The current case is a good example of a successful cooperation between the military counterintelligence service and the protection of the constitution and the police,” MAD told Kontraste. The soldier responded to a request for Contrasts did not react.
Investigations against police officers
The Frankfurt prosecutor’s office investigates Contrasts-There is currently information against a 41-year-old Frankfurt police officer on suspicion of bribery and alleged violation of official secrecy. The officer leading an investigation team went after Contrasts-Information worked at least twice for the Asgaard company in Iraq in a managerial position, apparently during his vacation and without the knowledge of the Hessian police.
In Contrasts– The Frankfurt Public Prosecutor’s Office reported the following: “The defendant is accused of carrying out an unregistered and therefore also unauthorized secondary activity for a private security company (allegedly influenced by right-wing extremists) from North Rhine-Westphalia , including abroad. There is also a suspicion that the officer made illegal inquiries in police databases to enrich himself personally with the information obtained as part of his unauthorized secondary activity. On August 20, 2020, officials of the Criminal Police of the State of Hesse issued several search warrants on behalf of the Frankfurt prosecution service. Executed in Hesse (at the defendant’s workplace), (…) and in North Rhine-Westphalia (the headquarters of the security company ) “.
Meanwhile, the officer has been prohibited from carrying out his official activities and disciplinary procedures have been initiated.
Investigators in Hesse have so far found no connection between the man and right-wing extremism and have so far been unable to identify any connection between the police officer and the illegal querying of police data in connection with threatening emails. The officer has Contrasts through your attorney to let you know that you do not want to comment on the allegations.
You can see this and other posts today at 21:45 on Kontraste im Erste.
