Wüst expresses regret to Cologne NSU victims.
Two decades ago, a nail bomb blast rocked the streets of Cologne, injuring 22 individuals. At first, investigators focused their attention near the victims. Unbeknownst to them, the perpetrators were actually right-wing extremists. The current Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia, Hendrik Wüst, now expresses remorse for the victims and the mistakes made by authorities.
In a recent article for the "Cologne City Anzeiger" and Turkish publication "Hürriyet," Wüst, a member of the center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), apologizes to those wrongly implicated in the aftermath of the June 9, 2004 incident, which occurred in the heart of the Keupstraße, which housed several Turkish businesses. "The state's primary responsibility is to defend its citizens, yet it fell short in this instance," he wrote.
Wüst pointed out that the state didn't just fail to safeguard the public from physical and emotional harm, but also from undeserved blame. "As the head of the North Rhine-Westphalian state government, I ask for forgiveness from those who were unfairly targeted for so long and even placed under investigation, even though they were, in fact, victims."
The Keupstraße was struck by a nail bomb attack in 2004. Twenty-two individuals suffered injuries, some quite severe. Police for a long time assumed the perpetrators were close to the victims. But it was only later that the crime was linked to the right-wing extremist group NSU ("National Socialist Underground"). The incident will be commemorated on Sunday with the attendance of Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Call for a Restoration of Democratic Values
Wüst lamented in his article that the residents of Keupstraße not only faced the shock of the assault and the fear for their own lives, but also faced slander and malicious gossip. In certain instances, even investigations were initiated against the victims and their families. The use of the "unspeakable term 'Doner murders'" demonstrated the errors perpetuated by society and the press.
"Especially now, with right-wing radical parties gaining traction with their focus on prejudice and social exclusivity, the democratic center must take a stand against such beliefs," implores the CDU official. North Rhine-Westphalia, according to Wüst, has learned from their past missteps. Law enforcement and the judiciary now better reflect the cultural tapestry of Germany.
Between 2000 and 2011, the NSU carried out a series of bombings and robberies throughout Germany. The far-right cell was ultimately found guilty of murdering ten people. The surviving NSU member Beate Zschäpe received a life sentence, while the four accomplices were sentenced to terms of imprisonment ranging from one and a half years to a decade.
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In his article, Hendrik Wüst, as the current Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia, acknowledges the state's failure to protect the victims of the 2004 Keupstraße nail bomb attack, which was later linked to the right-wing extremist group NSU, and expresses regret for the wrongful investigations targeting innocent individuals, particularly those with Turkish businesses. Furthermore, Wüst calls for the democratic center to stand against the rise of right-wing radical parties that promote prejudice and social exclusivity, emphasizing North Rhine-Westphalia's learning from past mistakes in law enforcement and the justice system.
