Prison terms for neo-Nazis
Published on Tuesday, 12 June 2012 23:29 Written by Gulf Times
Four neo-Nazis who terrorised a small eastern German town were convicted yesterday of forming a gang before being handed suspended jail terms by a court in Dresden.
Authorities outlawed their group, Sturm 34, which was modelled on the brown-shirted gangs that helped Nazi dictator Adolph Hitler take over in the 1930s.
Sturm 34 tried to run both leftists and Christians out of the town of Mittweida during 2006.
“All of you knew this would involve violence,” said presiding judge Herbert Proels.
The four leaders of Sturm 34, which had up to 50 members, were convicted of serious assault, criminal damage and formation of a criminal group and given jail terms ranging from six months to two years, but freed on condition of good behaviour.
The bid by the neo-Nazis to “cleanse” Mittweida of anyone who did not agree with them shocked Germany.
A first trial in 2008 ended in an acquittal, but an appeals court directed a retrial of the men, who are now aged 23 to 44.
Credit: Gulf Times