German suspects charged with right-wing terrorism
May 18, 2017The Federal Prosecutor's Court in Dresden on Thursday indicted the two men, who were allegedly tied to a right-wing extremist group known as the "Oldschool Society" (OSS).
The suspects, identified as 41-year-old Daniel A. and 29-year-old Marcel L., were charged with membership in a terrorist group, planning an explosion and violating German weapons laws.
Prosecutors said the men began chatting online with members of OSS in September 2014 and later became high-ranking members of the organization.
The group, which grew over the years to include around 30 members, had been plotting to attack a refugee shelter last May when authorities managed to detain four of its leaders.
Four jailed in Bavaria
In March, Munich's Higher Regional Court sentenced two of the ringleaders to terms of four-and-a-half and five years. Additionally, a ringleader's girlfriend and a fourth person were convicted.
Among the evidence presented was a recorded phone call in which the two ringleaders discussed building a nail bomb to use against refugees.
Prosecutors also said the right-wing group's "president," Andreas H., had ties to Germany's far-right NPD party in Augsburg.
Editor's note: Deutsche Welle follows the German press code, which stresses the importance of protecting the privacy of suspected criminals or victims and obliges us to refrain from revealing full names in such cases.
blc/rt (AP, epd)