German prosecutor demands life sentence for Zschaepe in NSU 2013 trial
NAN-F-36
Trial
Berlin, Sept. 12, 2017 (Xinhua/NAN) The German Federal Prosecution Office on Tuesday called for life sentence to Beate Zschaepe, the main suspect in the high-profile National Socialist Underground (NSU) trial, which commenced at the Munich Higher Regional Court since 2013.
Federal Prosecutor Herbert Diemer demanded the punishment at the end of his final plea due to what he saw as the severity of the defendant’s guilt.
Diemer further argued for subsequent preventive detention, barring Zschaepe from a potential early release after 15 years of imprisonment.
The court hearing of the prosecution’s final plea has lasted for seven days.
According to Diemer, Zschaepe was fully complicit in series of crimes committed by the NSU organisation.
The far-right terrorist group is believed to be responsible for the murder of 10 immigrants and one police officer, as well as two bombings in Cologne and several armed robberies.
The Federal Prosecution Office demanded a life sentence for Zschaepe in each of 14 individual offenses.
Following Diemer’s interpretation, Zschaepe was an integral part of a “triumvirate” formed by herself and NSU cell leaders Uwe Mundlos and Uwe Boehnhardt whose “fanatic national socialist worldview’’.
Boenhardt and Mundlos committed suicide after being uncovered during a failed armed robbery attempt, leading Zschaepe to set fire to their apartment in an attempt to destroy evidence.
Among others, the final plea accuses the defendant of the explicit intent to spread fear among migrants with the NSU’s series of arbitrary murders, as well as wilfully endangering human life through arson.
The preventive detention measure advocated by the Federal Prosecution Office on top of a life sentence is not a form of punishment itself, but intends to protect the public from convicts who are likely to re-offend.
Diemer argued that Zschaepe remained dangerous, describing her as an “ice-cold calculating person”.
Present in court, the defendant observed the final plea without any visible emotion.
Four other suspects are also charged with aiding and abetting the NSU.
The Munich Higher Regional Court will hear the Federal Prosecution Office’s pleas for their sentencing next.
Several more months are expected to pass in the trial before a final verdict can be reached by judges. (Xinhua/NAN)
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Edited by Celine-Damilola Oyewole/Felix Ajide