BERLIN
The trial against the far-right National Socialist Underground - which is alleged to have killed ten people, eight of them Turks, in Germany between 2000 and 2007 - marks its first anniversary on Tuesday.
The main suspect Beate Zschaepe has exercised her right to remain silent. The two other members of the alleged National Socialist Underground (NSU) terrorist cell founded in early 2000's, Uwe Bohnhardt and Uwe Mundlos, reportedly died in a murder-suicide following an attempted bank robbery in 2011.
Heiko Maas, the German Minister of Justice said in a written statement on Monday that state and society is duty-bound to prevent crimes such as in the case of right-wing terrorist cell of NSU, and in the future. "We have to do everything to ensure that such acts are not repeated."
Maas said, "Never again should the judiciary and police be blind to racist, xenophobic or other inhuman motives," adding that the entire society was responsible for the fight against racism.
Maas has put forward a bill which stipulates that acts with racist motives will be given tougher sentencing. The bill, which also provides an expansion of the power of the Attorney General to take over investigations “from the local authorities” earlier and easier, is currently being put to the vote.
Opposition Left Party deputy Sevim Dagdelen said in a written statement, "Without the close relationship of state security authorities with right-wing terrorists and the playing down of today's neo-Nazi violence, the racist murders of NSU would not be possible. There is reluctance into investigating the state's role and this continues at the first anniversary of the NSU process."
The NSU trial is historically one of the most important trials in Germany. But after one year, the shady connections were not brought to light. There is speculation in the German media that secret informants of the police and intelligence have long infiltrated the social environment of the far-right-group. However, no evidence of a relationship between state officials and the NSU group has been confirmed yet.
The trial at Munich State Supreme Court continues which so far has seen 246 witnesses and experts heard with the main suspect Beate Zschaepe remaining silent during the whole trial. Her lawyers say she will continue to exercise her right to remain silent during the trial.
The case has revealed serious failures and shortcomings in the German police and intelligence organizations’ fight against right-wing extremism.
Two members of the terror-cell reportedly died in a murder-suicide following an unsuccessful bank robbery in late 2011. The third member of the group, Beate Zschaepe, is currently the main suspect under arrest.
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