The Frankfurt judges were convinced that A. wanted to shake up democracy in Germany with a terrorist attack. Accordingly, he lived in an entrenched right-wing extremist worldview shaped by völkisch and nationalistic ideas. Any victims of the attack included politicians such as the former Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) and the then Vice President of the Bundestag Claudia Roth (Greens).
A., who was 33 when the verdict was announced in July last year, was arrested at Vienna Airport in 2017 when he wanted to get a pistol hidden in the toilet. Two semi-automatic rifles, another pistol, more than a thousand cartridges and 51 explosive devices were later found on him. Most came from Bundeswehr stocks.
In addition, A. pretended to be a Syrian refugee, David Benjamin, for more than a year, thus deceiving the authorities, who also paid him several thousand euros in benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act. He was convicted of preparing a serious subversive crime, gun violations and fraud. Due to a delay in the proceedings, three months of imprisonment were deemed to have already been served.
According to the Federal Court of Justice, a review of the judgment did not reveal any legal errors that had a negative impact on the accused. Its revision was therefore rejected. The criminal proceedings are thus legally concluded.
