Unraveling the Case in Stuttgart-Stammheim: "Group S" and the Lengthy Trial
The curtain's about to fall on a captivating three-year journey in a high-security courtroom in the Higher Regional Court of Stuttgart-Stammheim. Over 173 days, fifteen judges presided over the trial of eleven individuals, delved into around 150,000 pages of documents, called upon 130 witnesses and experts, and sifted through over 200 phone recordings. The culmination of this legal odyssey on Thursday will witness sentencing decisions laden with significant implications.
The presiding judge will spend the entire day delivering the verdict, indicating that some of the defendants will face prolonged imprisonment. Amongst the convicts, as the name suggests, ringleader Werner S. will serve a six-year sentence, while another primary offender is set for five years and three months behind bars. The remainder of the defendants will serve sentences ranging from two-and-a-half to four-and-a-half years, with one individual benefiting from a suspended sentence. Surprisingly, one defendant who reported the group's plans to the security services was acquitted.
The defendants reacted to the trial's conclusion with stoic composure, vomiting only a few impassive glances or hushed conversations with their legal representatives. Ringleader Werner S., seemingly unfazed by the impending prison term, focused on solving a Sudoku puzzle, while his neighbor stared vacantly at the floor.
The shadow of Threat
The court ascertained that the convicts were responsible for founding, aiding, or backing a right-wing extremist terrorist group. At a secret meeting in Minden, North Rhine-Westphalia, in February 2020, the men discussed orchestrating conflicts with mosques, resulting in a civil war. They tested the waters, reassessing who had the mettle to commit such atrocities. Those hesitant were threatened with death. In addition, they discussed purchasing weapons, with many participants pledging thousands of euros to finance these entities, the judge elucidated.
The men maintained their connections through chat groups, exchanging their violent ideologies and derogatory terminology. They spouted expressions like "human waste," "filthy pigs," and "sub-humans," sharing swastikas, and entertained varying degrees of violent fantasies. However, the judge emphasized that this wasn't merely malignant rhetoric for them; they needed to put their words into deeds.
In an unprecedented gathering in September 2019, some of the defendants met for the first time at a barbecue area nearby Alfdorf, north-east of Stuttgart.
A Shepard's Call for Tolerance: A Defense Lawyer's Perspective
In a court appearance a few weeks ago, a defense lawyer characterized the group as a collection of pompous pontificators. Meanwhile, the presiding judge offered a starkly different perspective. "This isn't merely a gathering of individuals with dissenting views on refugee policy," he stated. In his view, these defendants bear close resemblance to right-wing extremist ideologies, some even tiptoeing on the edge of National Socialism. Yet, there were other motivating factors at play. "Their attitudes were driven by fear," the judge explained. Fear of violent attacks by foreigners and worries that immigrants could potentially wield political influence in Germany permeated the group's discussions.
Tragic Turns and Deadly Obstacles
The painstakingly exhaustive nature of the trial, coupled with the complicated circumstances necessitated by Covid-19, stretched this judicial marathon. One of the primary suspects expired before the case was initiated. Another defendant, who hailed from Bavaria, succumbed to an unexpected demise during the trial. According to the Higher Regional Court, the man suffered a fatal fall near his apartment after leaving the Stammheim high-security wing.
While this monumental trial in Stuttgart-Stammheim may mark a significant turning point, the sentencing is far from the end of the legal investigation. Some attorneys have publicly announced their intention to challenge the verdict. Meanwhile, another trial featuring alleged right-wing extremists, including five men and one woman, is currently underway in Koblenz, entailing accusations of planning a widespread power outage and kidnapping Germany's Federal Health Minister.
Stay tuned for updates on this intriguing trial, as Germany grapple with the complexities of domestic terrorism and extremism.
