Enlarge image
Defendant Franco A. on Tuesday in the courtroom of the Higher Regional Court in Frankfurt am Main
Photo: KAI PFAFFENBACH / REUTERS
The Bundeswehr officer Franco A., charged with suspicion of terrorism, has admitted possession of a weapon as well as ammunition and explosive devices. At the same time he denied the planning of terrorist attacks before the Higher Regional Court in Frankfurt am Main. His motive was not to "actually use the weapon, ammunition or explosive device for me," said the defendant in the trial on Friday. However, he considers it understandable that this suspicion arose.
The federal prosecutor's office accuses the 32-year-old of having acquired a false identity as a Syrian refugee out of right-wing extremist sentiments in order to portray planned attacks as acts of terrorism by an asylum seeker and thus shake confidence in German asylum policy.
According to the indictment, he is said to have procured a total of four firearms, over 1,000 rounds of ammunition and more than 50 explosive devices.
A. had already admitted in court that he led a double life as an asylum seeker.
Regarding the abusive submission of an asylum application, the defendant said: "I disregarded applicable law".
He was "sincerely sorry" for that.
The investigators, on the other hand, accuse the defendant of having been driven for years by a "solid nationalistic and racist sentiment" and a "particular aversion to people of the Jewish faith".
Among other things, he is said to have revealed his right-wing extremist ideas in chat groups.
fek / dpa
