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Defendants in the courtroom in Stammheim (April): The first of them has now been released from custody
Photo: Pool / Getty Images
Just in time for the second week of summer vacation in Baden-Württemberg, Michael B. could now go on vacation with his two daughters.
Even if not too far from Stuttgart-Stammheim.
The 49-year-old has spent the past few months there - as a defendant in the trial of the alleged right-wing extremist »Group S.«, of which he is said to have been a member.
He is the first of eleven imprisoned defendants who has now been released from custody because the State Security Senate at the Higher Regional Court has changed the arrest warrants of some of the defendants.
In a legal note, the judges continue to assume that the »Group S.« was founded as a terrorist organization that wanted to instigate a civil war and establish a state and social system based on its inhuman ideas.
On the loose
According to the Attorney General, the men got together on September 28, 2019 at the "Hummelgautsche" barbecue area in the Swabian-Franconian Forest Nature Park;
After the days of negotiations so far, the Senate sees a meeting in Minden in North Rhine-Westphalia on February 8, 2020 as the date of foundation.
This postponement of around four months now affects some arrest warrants: Some of the defendants are no longer classified as founders, but only as supporters of the association.
So also Michael B., who has therefore now been released from custody.
According to the information, B. could have made himself a criminal offense for aiding and abetting the ringleading establishment of a terrorist organization and for violating the Weapons Act. Like the defendant Paul U., who acted as an informant for the investigators, B. is now allowed to remain at large, but has to continue to participate in the main hearing.
Michael B. comes from Kirchheim unter Teck.
At the start of the terrorist process, he had not hidden from the cameras and cameras.
With his head held high, as if he were standing by the pronounced Islamophobia that the Federal Prosecutor attested to him, he entered the high-security wing in Stammheim.
According to the indictment, he was "ready for anything."
B. is said to have promised to be "in the front row" next to the alleged leader Werner S. "at the beginning of the war", hateful and ready to use violence.
Resentful ringleader?
S. is said to have trusted B. "blindly" and considered him qualified to work on and modify firearms.
B. is said to have worked as a laser welder and at times managed a company that specialized in polishing and welding technology in tool, prototype and mold construction.
Investigators found a Ceská Zbrojovka, two signal pistol cartridges, a loaded revolver and ammunition in his apartment.
With his release from pre-trial detention after a year and a half, a man is released who sent messages to the alleged ringleader S. he signed with "BiG" - for "brothers in the spirit".
The Federal Prosecutor's Office is convinced that Michael B. knew that S. wanted to found a group that was ready to armed against the supposed takeover of Germany by people of different faiths and refugees.
However, B. did not want to appear at a planned meeting in December 2019.
His "BiG" finally canceled the appointment - and was resentful.
A character trait that B. could now benefit from: Because S. did not invite Michael B. to the next meeting in Minden in February 2020.
Thus, B. was not present at the founding date agreed by the Senate - and in the opinion of the judges only accepted a founding.
In Minden, S. is said to have asked all those present specifically whether they were ready to take part in attacks.
Thomas N., who made his house in Minden available for the meeting, remains in custody like the others.
His defense attorney Daniel Sprafke welcomes the legal notice and says that the criminal senate is showing that he "feels the rule of law firmly under his feet at all times."
In order to assess the question of guilt, it is irrelevant what attitude the accused adheres to.
“That is why all arrest warrants have been revoked and replaced by ones that take into account the course of the main hearing so far;
The Senate sees the allegations largely invalidated in terms of time. "
Nobody in Karlsruhe wanted to comment.
As a matter of principle, the federal prosecutor's office does not comment on decisions in ongoing negotiations, said a spokeswoman for SPIEGEL.