Berlin downplays risk from German Antifa group targeted by US

BERLIN (Reuters) -German authorities said on Friday that the threat posed by Antifa Ost, a left-wing group designated by Washington as a global terrorist organisation, has sharply diminished following a series of arrests and convictions.

Antifa, short for "anti-fascist," is a decentralized movement without a clear structure, command hierarchy or leader, according to a 2020 Congressional Research Service report.

"The security authorities' assessment is that the potential threat posed by the group has recently decreased significantly," Interior Ministry spokesperson Sarah Fruehauf told a regular press conference, adding that its leaders and particularly violent members were either in custody or already convicted.

The comments came a day after the U.S. designated Antifa Ost and three other European groups as "Specially Designated Global Terrorists", accusing them of carrying out politically motivated violence.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the move was part of efforts to confront what he called a "campaign of political violence" and that Washington would target other groups worldwide.

German government spokesperson Steffen Meyer declined to comment on the designation, but said Washington acted independently when asked whether Berlin had been made aware of the decision ahead of time.

Germany's Foreign Ministry said the designation could have repercussions for German citizens, including possible asset freezes, transaction bans, entry restrictions and deportation from the United States.

Antifa Ost, also known as the "Hammer Gang" for its preferred weapon, operates as a far-left extremist network, according to the Interior Ministry.

Authorities say the group's members had carried out numerous violent attacks in recent years against individuals identified by Antifa Ost as "fascists" within Germany's right-wing scene.

Investigators also link the network to a series of assaults during far-right commemorative events in Budapest in February 2023.

The officials said domestic security agencies continued to monitor the group.

(Reporting by Friederike HeineEditing by Gareth Jones)