German politician recorded talking about 'gassing' migrants

Germany's right-wing populist Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has distanced itself from former spokesperson Christian Lueth after he was apparently recorded by reporters talking about "gassing" migrants.

The AfD's parliamentary block stripped Lueth of all official roles after the publication of the comments, which form part of a documentary to be broadcast on the ProSieben television channel later Monday.

The AfD official identified as Lueth is heard in the hidden video recording saying to a blogger in a bar that "the worse things are for Germany, the better it is for the AfD."

When it comes to migrants entering the country - an issue that has helped fuel the rise of the AfD - he says: "We can shoot them all dead later, that's no issue, or gas them, or whatever you want, I don't care."

Alexander Gauland, the head of the AfD faction in the German parliament, distanced the party from the comments.

"Unacceptable"

"The statements attributed to Mr Lueth are totally unacceptable and can in no way be reconciled with the goals and policies of the AfD or the AfD faction in the German Bundestag."

He dismissed as "absurd" statements heard in the recording that he had talked in such terms with Lueth.

A spokesperson for the AfD faction said he had no comment on the meeting, saying only that it "apparently happened."

The AfD saw a surge in its support after the European migration crisis of 2015-16 and is currently the third-largest single party in the Bundestag.

Lueth himself could not be reached for comment. He left his job as spokesperson in April after apparently describing himself as a "fascist." He had been in discussions about another role within the AfD faction in the Bundestag.