Police in southern Germany raided 21 homes and properties on Wednesday, seizing weapons in an investigation against right-wing extremists.

Around 140 police officers took part in the search in the southwestern state of Baden-Württemberg, confiscating ammunition, a gun, computers, knives and neo-Nazi propaganda from 18 members of a group known as "Standarte Württemberg."

The suspects, aged 17 to 49 years, were all known to investigators for previous far-right links, state prosecutors said in Stuttgart.

The prosecutor's office said the group's goal was to expel all foreigners out of Germany by all available means.

There was no evidence of concrete plans for an attack, nor was the investigation linked to recent extremist attacks in Norway, prosecutors said.

Investigators were looking into raising charges of weapons-code violations against the suspects.

Germany has particularly strict laws against far-right extremist groups, including bans on neo-Nazi propaganda.

Author: David Levitz (dpa, Reuters)
Editor: Chuck Penfold