After more than 160 days: Trial against "Group S." nears conclusion
After well over 160 days of hearings, after the coronavirus pandemic and after two deaths, the mammoth trial against "Group S." is nearing its finale. The last of a whole series of pleas in the multi-year terror trial have been made. Now, according to the Stuttgart Higher Regional Court, the eagerly awaited verdicts are to be pronounced on November 30 (9.00 a.m.).
The federal prosecution is demanding long prison sentences in some cases for the eleven remaining defendants. According to their conviction, they are alleged to have founded a terrorist organization at a meeting in Minden, Westphalia, in 2020 in order to attack mosques, trigger a civil war and take power in its turmoil.
The prosecution is demanding the longest sentence for the alleged leader and namesake of the trial, Werner S. It is clear to them that the alleged ringleader from the Augsburg region formulated the group's goals, looked for fighters and took care of weapons. According to the federal prosecutor's office, he should be imprisoned for seven years. The lowest sentence demanded is two years and eight months.
The 20 defense lawyers, on the other hand, are pleading for acquittals for their clients. During the trial, one defense lawyer called the group a "collection of pompous blowhards", while one of the lawyers described the trial as a "theatrical spectacle on the subject of right-wing extremism". The majority of the men are no longer in custody.
The trial could have been concluded earlier. However, the court had adjourned after one of the accused from Bavaria died unexpectedly. According to the Higher Regional Court, the man collapsed on his way home from a trial in the Stammheim high-security wing just outside his apartment. The man is said to have already had heart problems while in custody.
The defense lawyers argue that the group, labeled as extremist, should not be seen as a terrorist organization, with one lawyer referring to them as a "collection of pompous blowhards." Despite this, the prosecution maintains that the group, led by Werner S., had processes in place to carry out attacks, aiming to attack mosques and seize power in a potential civil war.
Source: www.dpa.com
