Internationally wanted criminals go online almost daily by the federal police at the airport.
But when officials arrested a 49-year-old Russian with a German passport on arrival, they had no idea that they were supposed to initiate a process that was so far unique in Germany.
Airport / Landshut - The man wanted to help the Russian part of the population in Ukraine and therefore joined an organization over six years ago to take part in fighting on the side of pro-Russian rebels in the former Soviet republic.
The fact that German courts have now had to deal with the case is due to the fact that the man has only had German citizenship since 2012.
The case landed in Landshut because of the arrest at the airport
Before the Landshut jury court, the attorney general also pointed out the preventive aspect: "It is unacceptable that a German citizen takes part in acts of civil war abroad."
The perpetrator had already been sentenced to two years and three months' imprisonment last year by the State Protection Chamber of Munich I for preparing a serious act of violence that was dangerous to the state.
This judgment related to the preparations in Saint Petersburg.
Now the 49-year-old received another four years and six months imprisonment for attempted manslaughter in two cases for the acts of war itself.
The Russian-born admitted that he fired several shots from an assault rifle at the enemy in Ukraine during a five and a half hour battle in Starobeschowo.
In addition, according to the indictment, he had shot at a tank, which then burned out.
After all: nobody was killed and the tank crew were able to rescue the people outside.
An anonymous tip started the investigation.
Investigators also watched an interview with the perpetrator on Russian television in which he described the fighting himself.
The confession paved the way to an understanding on which the judgment was based.
The 49 year old apologized to the jury.
He had “ideologically distanced himself completely from his attitude at the time”.
He only wanted to help and never aim at people, he protested.
But when Ukrainian troops moved towards his group, the situation escalated.
When he decided to go to the Ukraine, he thought it would work like in his job as a bouncer: “It is often enough to just show presence.” Nig