A ministry spokesman spoke to Kölner Stadt-Anzeige newspaper and said that they are assessing the relations between right-wing group Osmanen Germania and the Turkish government.

“The "rocker-like” organization of Turkish nationalists that takes right-wing extremist positions maintain contacts with the "Erdogan regime in the broadest sense," the spokesman said.

Photos on the internet proved personal contacts of leading members of the rapidly growing group in NRW with representatives of the AKP and the judiciary.

Sebastian Fiedler of the Bund Deutscher Kriminalbeamter in NRW told the newspaper that even after nationwide raids it can be assumed that the Ottomans would continue to receive "fresh money and backing from Ankara".

On suspicion of money laundering, drug trafficking and weapon possession offences, the police had also acted against the group in NRW.