Secret RAF solidarity: Hamburgers planned arson attack in Verden!

Secret RAF solidarity: Hamburgers planned arson attack in Verden!

In the current trial at the Verden regional court, two men from Hamburg, aged 36 and 38, are on trial for a planned arson attack. The public prosecutor accuses them of having met in October 2018 to send a “strong and militant signal” against the persecution of former RAF terrorists. The planned target of their action was the former “Meyer Building”, into which the public prosecutor’s office planned to move in 2023. However, the arson attack was prevented by a police patrol who caught the trio red-handed as they were traveling in Verden wearing masks and carrying petrol bottles. During the check, investigators also found gasoline, lighters, lighters and banned pepper spray. A suspected letter of confession expressing solidarity with former RAF terrorists was seized during searches of their car and apartments in Hamburg, as stern.de reports.

In their statements, the defendants admitted that they wanted to make a statement, but stated that they never intended to set a house on fire. Instead, they claimed they wanted to burn tires on the road. Their letter of confession ended with the words: “From a spark of solidarity to a spark of hope,” which makes it clear that through their actions they wanted to identify with the former RAF terrorists. The persecuted people include Daniela Klette, Ernst-Volker Staub and Burkhard Garweg, who are often mentioned in the media. The public prosecutor's office has been investigating these people for many years, who stole around 2.7 million euros in connection with 13 robberies between 1999 and 2016.

Legal situation and threatened penalties

In the trial, the public prosecutor's office is demanding suspended sentences of one year and four months each and a fine of 1,000 euros per defendant. The defense is arguing for an unspecified fine, but the verdict is not due to be announced until October 13th. If convicted, a suspended prison sentence could actually be possible under certain conditions. The fate of a third defendant who did not appear in court remains unclear, which is why the proceedings against him were separated. There is public speculation that he could face fines or even pre-trial detention. The situation can also be seen in the context of an intensive photo call to arrest former RAF terrorists since 2015, during which Klette was caught in Berlin in February 2024.

The investigative activities surrounding the former RAF terrorists illustrate not only the sustained efforts of the law enforcement authorities, but also the ongoing tensions in society with a view to rehabilitating past crimes. The defendants see their plan as a political signal, while the judiciary draws a clear line between political protest and criminal activity, which inflames the process even further.

The court's decision on October 13th is expected to be another significant step in dealing with the RAF past and the attempts of today's generations to come to terms with these dark chapters of German history. Because the question remains: Where does political protest end and where does criminal behavior begin? This will show how the constitutional state responds to these challenges as public interest in the trials continues to increase.

For further information you can consult the article from Welt.de.