“Sauerland cell” trail begins in Dusseldorf
On Wednesday German prosecutors opened their case against four men accused of planning a substantial terrorist operation against US interests in Germany.
According to Deutsche Welle, “Police allege the four suspects planned to use car bombs to attack US army bases in Germany in 2007, as well as bars, restaurants, airports and the Federal Prosecutors’ Office. Prosecutor Volker Brinkmann said, ‘The defendants were driven by the will to destroy the enemies of Islam – and in particular US citizens – in Germany, on a scale of the September 11 attacks on the United States.’”
“Germany’s biggest terror trial since leftwing extremists were prosecuted in the 1970s is expected to last two years. The defendants are charged with preparing bomb attacks and being members of a terrorist organisation. If convicted they face up to 15 years in prison,” reports the Guardian. “The case has forced Germany to confront “homegrown” terrorists. Two of the four, Fritz Gelowicz, 29, and Daniel Schneider, 23, are German-born converts to Islam. Atilla Selek, 24, is a German of Turkish origin and Adem Yilmaz is a Turkish citizen.”
A video threatening terrorist attacks on Germany has been been posted online. According to Bild, “The video, created by the Islamic Movement Uzbekistan (IBU), has been released to mark the start of the trial of alleged terrorists in Düsseldorf.”
(It is my intention to give this trial some continuing attention focusing on terrorist motivations, patterns of behavior, and planning.)
