Verena becker trial

All those in the car were killed, and the unknown assailants escaped. The murder victims included - in addition to the two drivers - Germany's top attorney, Federal Prosecutor Siegfried Buback. Buback had planned to stop the extremists, who with their actions had brought Germany to the brink of a state of emergency.

The brutal series of kidnappings, bomb attacks and cold-blooded murders reached their high point in The terrorists were after senior representatives of state and society: lawyers, bankers and politicians, those who in the RAF ideology were holding back the possibility of a "just state without oppression and exploitation.

The futile struggle of the RAF lasted a total of 28 years. In , the RAF admitted in an official letter that their campaign had failed, and that it had come to an end.

Trial of the 'real culprits' Despite extensive investigations, the details in many of the murder cases remain unclear and the perpetrators unidentified. Three terrorists were eventually convicted for the murder of Siegfried Buback in the early s. With the judgments, it seemed one of the last chapters of the RAF had come to a close.

However, in April Michael Buback, the now year-old son of the assassinated federal prosecutor, received credible information from an "informant" that the shooter who killed his father was not among the convicted terrorists. He had always suspected that the shooter had not been properly identified. He also raised serious allegations against the German intelligence services, which he said had covered up who the real culprits were.

A scandal, if true. Buback gathered together so much material that the attorney general could not help but to investigate and to bring new charges. Murder charges do not lapse under German criminal law, and so a new prime suspect was accused: Verena Becker. One of Becker's hairs was found in the helmet worn by one of the assailants at the scene of the crime. In addition, there was a trace of her DNA on the envelope of the letter claiming responsibility for Siegfried Buback's murder.

Evidence of involvement in the crime, but no clear evidence of murder. Why were these clues not pursued earlier? As far back as the s, Becker had begun working with Germany's intelligence service and had provided much information about the RAF - even the name of the alleged shooter. This was a condition for her cooperation. Of course, no one would pass information to the intelligence service if everything were to be made public, Aust explained. The killings were among several operations by the RAF, sometimes called the Baader-Meinhof Gang, as its campaign against what it considered to be an oppressive West German capitalist state reached its peak.

Becker was already pardoned in from a life sentence and may now face her second one. President Horst Koehler of Germany has denied clemency to a leftist terrorist serving a life sentence for the murder of a US soldier and the deadly bombing of an American airbase.

Over 30 years after the slaying of a high-ranking German prosecutor, police have made an arrest. Visit the new DW website Take a look at the beta version of dw. Go to the new dw. More info OK. Wrong language? Change it here DW. COM has chosen English as your language setting.

COM in 30 languages. Deutsche Welle. Audiotrainer Deutschtrainer Die Bienenretter. Germany Trial opens of former Red Army Faction member over killing Decades after Germany's leading prosecutor was killed by the far-left Red Army Faction group, ex-member Verena Becker is on trial for her role.

Becker served time for other offenses and was pardoned. A former member of the radical far-left Red Army Faction RAF militant group has gone on trial in Germany over the murder of a federal prosecutor. Verena Becker, 58, was arrested last year for her suspected role in the ambush of Siegfried Buback.

Two men escorting him were also shot dead. The group broke up more than 10 years ago. At the height of their campaign against the West German elite and "US imperialism" in the s and 80s they targeted bankers, businessmen, judges and US servicemen.

Bodyguards and drivers were also shot in the gang's attacks. The murder of Siegfried Buback, the country's leading public prosecutor, was one of their most notorious attacks. The three victims were shot dead by a passenger on a motorcycle as their car stopped at traffic lights on the way to a Karlsruhe court. Although Ms Becker was arrested the month after the Buback assassination, after a shoot-out with police, there was insufficient evidence at the time to convict her of his murder.