Turkish envoy shut out of neo-Nazi murder trial

Published: 8 Mar 13 11:15 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.de/national/20130308-48411.html

The murder trial of the last member of the neo-Nazi terror group the National Socialist Underground has turned into a diplomatic incident after a German court refused to guarantee space for the Turkish ambassador.

NSU known as neo-Nazi 'terror cell' before killings (22 May 13)
Hungary's Orban: Merkel policy like Nazi invasion (20 May 13)
Two accused in neo-Nazi trial 'will talk' (17 May 13)

"The NSU murdered six Turkish citizens and two Turkish-born people," said Sebastian Edathy, head of the parliamentary investigative NSU committee, in the Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper on Friday. "Is the Turkish ambassador supposed to wait in the queue of visitors, along with neo-Nazis, who want to come to the trial?"

He added that in other cases with state security implications where foreign nationals had been murdered, it was standard procedure to make room for diplomatic representatives from the country in question.

Describing the Munich court's decision as an "affront" to the justified interests of Turkey's representative in Germany, he said he would take up the matter with the Foreign Ministry.

The Bundestag committee had written to the court asking for seat reservations for the ambassador and a representative of the Turkish parliament's human rights committee, only to be told by the court's chairman of state security Manfred Götzl that no guarantees could be made, because room was limited. Götzl added that the two Turkish representatives would be free to come to court with other members of the public.

The courtroom has around 200 seats, but because of the large number of joint plaintiffs in the trial, which begins on 17th April, only 50 are available to the public, while another 50 are reserved for the media.

NSU member Beate Zschäpe and four of the group's alleged helpers face charges relating to ten murders, several attempted murders, arson, and a string of bank robberies.

Edathy underlined that while he did not want to criticize the presiding judges, but "clearly the court is not considering the foreign policy implications."

The Local/bk

What do you think? Leave your comment below.

Your comments about this article:

14:38 March 8, 2013 by blackboot11

If the Germans refocused their energies from coverups and telling other govermnents and foreign citizens what to do, to fixing their own domestic problems Germany would be a much better place, probably overnight.

But the wheels of progress turn VERY slowly here in Deutschland,

most are still 'faxing' like it was 1992....LOL!

Report abuse »

21:45 March 28, 2013 by mikeiskov

This is Global embarrassment for Germany, I hope BBC, CNN and other news agencies picks up the story.

remember, what's done to jews in the past is happening to Turks now and Greeks and the others are next on the line. this is where all the immigrants in Germany regardless of ther backround should come together and fight this evil.

Germany and France created the Eurozone so they can dictate and control Europe, before euro spain, ireland, greece, cyprus, italy were all doing fine.

They also steal brightest from other poorer Eurozone countries, not even a penny paid for their education and health care, use them as cheap laborer to service their low needs and try to hate and dump them when there is no need. This is what you call as a modern slavery.

I hope Turkey will never join to EU as they will face the same outcome as Greece …etc…etc. Eurozone will be in their knees in few years to Beg to Turks to join so they can expand towards east.

By not allowing Turkish journalist in to their courtroom is the sign of German¦#39;s neo-nazi past and present,

Imagine if 10 Germans burnt to death in Turkey by hate group and Turkish court did not allow any German journalist in to the courtroom, imagine the reaction in germany…..I hope you get it

Report abuse »

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