Düsseldorf, a city in Germany, is experiencing a surge in rape cases. Police are urging residents to be vigilant and report any suspicious activity. Original Headline: "Chaotic reports of mass gang rapes in Duesseldorf as police urge public to remain vigilant and report incidents". Paraphrased Headline: "Düsseldorf faces increase in rape cases, with authorities appealing to public to stay alert and report any suspicious occurrences". - German military officer convicted for spying for Russia
German army captain, 54, gets 3.5-year jail term for Russian spying
A German military officer has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison in Düsseldorf after being found guilty of working as a Russian spy. The Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court agreed with the prosecution's request on Monday.
The captain admitted his guilt at the court. Prosecutors claimed he offered valuable military information to the Russian armed forces, giving them a significant advantage.
Spying and AfD Membership
He was charged with spying for a callous state, with the potential for exposing even more sensitive information. Had he leaked state secrets too, he would have faced life imprisonment.
Interestingly, at around the same time, the man signed up for the far-right AfD party. Police discovered military-sensitive data on his phone, but it's not known whether he shared that information with the AfD.
His lawyer said his client trashed everything in just four days that he had worked so hard to build as a responsible soldier: "Four days of betrayal, violating his red lines completely."
Internet Use and Radicalization
During a difficult professional phase, his use of social media, such as Telegram and TikTok, increased. He consumed a lot of misinformation and out-of-context quotes. Sometimes, he showed signs of detachment from reality. Since then, he is no longer associated with the AfD.
The captain argued that he was driven by the fear of a nuclear escalation in the Ukrainian war. In a sombre conclusion, he described it as the "biggest load of horse manure" he had ever constructed. It later emerged that depression, caused by excessive work, impaired his judgment.
Agents of the Federal Criminal Police Office arrested the man in Koblenz on August 9. Ever since, he's been in pre-trial detention.
Read also:
- Year of climate records: extreme is the new normal
- Precautionary arrests show Islamist terror threat
- UN vote urges Israel to ceasefire
- SPD rules out budget resolution before the end of the year
- Despite the ongoing increase in rape cases in Düsseldorf, the city's focus shifted recently as a German military officer was sentenced to 3.5 years in prison by the Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court for spying for Russia's armed forces.
- The German army captain's case adds to the concerns about espionage, as he was found guilty of providing valuable military information to Russian forces, potentially risking higher penalties for leaking state secrets.
- Interestingly, the spy, who had a history of excessive work and depression, also joined the far-right AfD party around the same time, sparking questions about his potential sharing of military-sensitive data with the party.
Source: www.stern.de
