Neo-Nazi Gang Members Sentenced to Jail
March 7, 2005The 12 members of the extreme right-wing gang "Freikorps" in the state of Brandenburg received prison terms Monday for establishing and being part of a terrorist organization. The Brandenburg Regional Court sentenced the group's 20-year-old leader to four and a half years in jail. The other members received suspended sentences of eight months to two years. The young men confessed to carrying out 10 attacks on businesses and snack bars belonging to foreigners, though rejected the accusation of belonging to a terrorist organization. Motivated by xenophobia, the group's members carried out the attacks between Aug. 2003 and May 2004, when they were between 14 and 18 years of age, in the hopes of driving the foreigners away. No one was harmed in the attacks, though the "Freikorps" caused around €800,000 ($1,055,000) in damages.