Germany could ban the right-wing extremist group Combat 18 as soon as a terrorist Organisation. Many wonder why this has not happened for a long time. Other governments act more decisively.
A few days ago, the German section of Combat 18 went to the Public. The neo-Nazi group did, what else she does very rarely, she released a Video. To see a man with a storm hood, black gloves and a dark Anorak, his voice is artificially distorted. He is somewhere in the countryside. The independent anti-fascist Research platform Exif believes to have in the Person of Robin schmiemann detected, a leading member of the group.
Schmiemann sat eight years in prison for fatal shooting at a Tunisian-born man during a robbery. In jail he exchanged letters with Beate Zschäpe, convicted member of the neo-Nazi terror group national socialist Underground (NSU).
In the Video, the Combat-18-man says, Germany had reached a point where every citizen is in a forced situation, to have to himself and his family to protect. “The trust of citizens in politicians, the judiciary and the media is completely destroyed.”
The sudden release of the movie clip indicates that for some right-wing researchers to the fact that Combat 18 feels driven since the assassination of the politician Walter Lübcke in the Close. After it turned out that the main suspect, Stephan E. had ties to the neo-Nazi group, the Federal Ministry of the interior under renewed pressure to ban the extreme right-wing organization. Elsewhere this has already happened In Canada about Combat 18 was classified in June as the terrorist group.
Pressure for action by the murder Lübcke
“The release of the video represents a new step”, the right-wing extremism researcher Hendrik Puls, scientific Advisor of the state Parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia used in the NSU-Committee of inquiry. “Actually, the group is not communicating in this Form. In my opinion, this shows that the members feel as a result of the new findings in the case, Lübcke under pressure.”
Right-wing extremism in Europe: process against Combat 18 members in Athens, March 2018
Pulse provides further evidence that the attention of the state of the group’s concern. So the neo-Nazi Karsten H. reported at the end of June from a private drive at the police. There, he identified himself on the photo of a Combat 18 meeting in March in the Saxon town of Mücka. Previously, the ARD had identified a Person in the photo, apparently falsely, as Stephan E.. The fact that Karsten has contributed to the elucidation of the error, suggests that Combat 18 distancing itself from Stephan E..
Nevertheless, there are many indications that Stephen E. had contact to the group. A Exif featured photo from 2002 shows the Suspect with Stanley Röske. Röske applies to the authorities as a leading member of Combat 18. Also published in Exif of the extracts of a Röske-run Bank account that gives insight into the monthly C18-member contributions.
International Network
Facts about the internal structures of Combat 18 is difficult to determine. Exif has identified 50 members. They apparently form the hard core around which the more violent neo-Nazis together.
“Armed and bragging rights, too,” says Axel Salheiser from the center for right-wing extremism research, education for democracy and social Integration at the University of Jena. “It is a sworn circle. Actually, is more a network than a single organization.”
Was founded Combat 18 in the early 1990s in the UK. The two Numbers in the name refer to the first and the eighth letters of the alphabet: AH – the initials of Adolf Hitler.
The mid-nineties, Combat 18 took control of another neo-Nazi network Blood and Honour. This group was already at that time an international netting with branches in Germany, the USA and other countries.
Video 42 view:36
Right-wing Terror in Christchurch: How networked is the hate?
Facebook Twitter google+ send Tumblr VZ Xing Newsvine Digg
Permalink https://p.dw.com/p/3FRxJ
Christchurch: How networked is the hate?
So, Combat 18 has grown internationally. According to Exif, at least 21 Combat-18-factions – such as in Brazil, Chile, Russia, the USA and almost all European countries now exist in the world. All use the same coat-of-arms: a white dragon against the Background of the respective country colors.
“A sworn circle”
In the recruitment of new members, the group seems to be very careful. “Armed and bragging rights, too,” said Hendrik pulse in an interview with DW. “It is a sworn circle.” Combat 18 is different from the other neo-Nazi groups by the fact that the organization had always propagated the armed struggle.
Also Exif published a list of internal “guidelines” suggests that potential members have to complete a six-month probationary period before they are finally accepted. After that, you pay a monthly membership fee of 15 euros as “emergency money (e.g. for the arrest of a brother)” are allowed in the meeting only the approved clothing (C18-T-Shirt or jacket, black pants, black shoes) and have to take a vow of “absolute confidentiality”.
Such Details are, however, treated with caution. Salheiser wonders whether some of the information uncovered Exif and other research facilities, have not been as Propaganda launched in order to attract opponents and investigators on a false trail.
Attacks without instruction
The base line is, nevertheless, clear. Combat 18 has two activities, says Hendrik pulse. The group manages what could be described as a neo-Nazi “music business” (mainly, the organization of rock concerts, which also serve as mass Assembly). On the other, they promoted a concept that we might call “leaderless resistance”.
This concept is set out in a series of neo-Nazi documents, many of which are accessible online. “The strategy of leaderless resistance States: One does not establish a hierarchical Terror organization in which there is a guide, which then gives commands, and then people who commit the attacks,” said pulse. “Instead, starting very small, from each other isolated cells, which occur without consultation and without waiting for commands in action.”
Heart of darkness: Demonstration of right-wing extremists in Magdeburg, Germany, January 2015
These cells also do not assume any responsibility for these attacks, supplemented Salheiser. “You do not say: We were there, but you kill just migrants, as in the case of the NSU. This is the Combat-18-ideology. The have the put in writing. There are guides to guerrilla warfare, the distributed Combat 18.”
“Combat 18 has become a sort of Synonym for legal terrorism”, adds pulse.
Legality as a lure?
In view of these findings, it is surprising that Combat 18 is so far in Germany is legal, while Blood & Honour was banned in the year 2000. Combat 18 is considered by many observers as the more militant Arm of Blood and Honour. In circulation, a number of Videos, the arms pivot point at the end of members.
“Basically, the question of the ban is an absurd story,” says pulse. “Absurd, because Combat 18 refers to actually the time of existence itself as the armed wing of Blood and Honour.”
Exif believed that Combat 18 is held in the legality to act as attractants for other neo-Nazis. The entire organization – possibly including the level of management was peppered with government-paid informants, thinks the Exif.
Salheiser, however, compared with the attractant-theory skeptical. For such companies, the informants network of the constitutional protection was not effective enough. The V-people would not be able to prevent persons from these circles, had committed crimes. You could also win any of the findings, “with whom it actually has, and how many members the organization has”.
Now, however, the Federal seems to be the Ministry of the interior prepare to ban the group. Minister Horst Seehofer wants to test bans, “to the extent permitted by the Constitution”. This was supposed to happen, according to many decades ago.
-
The murder victim of the NSUTen victims, ten tragedies
Nine of the victims had foreign roots, they lived all the time of her death in Germany. Furthermore, a German policewoman by the terrorist gang was killed. All the victims were shot down in cold blood.
-
The murder victim of the NSUEnver Şimşek
On 9. In September 2000, the 38-year-old florist Enver Şimşek in Nuremberg shot – in the picture with his wife. He sold flowers on a small Parking lot just outside of the city. The father of two children died as a result of eight shots. Şimşek came 1986 to Germany from Turkey. He is considered to be the first victim of the racist NSU murder series.
-
The murder victim of the NSUAbdurrahim Özüdoğru
13. In June 2001, the Turkish has been killed by burly tailor Abdurrahim Özüdoğru in its Alteration in Nuremberg, Germany. He was 49 years old, divorced and left a daughter, then 19 years.
-
The murder victim of the NSUSüleyman Tasköprü
27. In June 2001, the fruit and vegetable traders Süleyman Tasköprü, in Hamburg, in the Store of his father by three gunshots to the head murdered. He was 31 years old and had a three-year-old daughter.
-
The murder victim of the NSUHabil Kiliç
In Munich on 29. August 2001, the 38-year-old fruit and vegetable trader Habil Kiliç in his business killed. Also, he was hit in the head. His wife and twelve-year-old daughter left after that, Germany. Habil Kiliç is the fourth victim of the neo-Nazi murder series.
-
The murder victim of the NSUMehmet Turgut
In Rostock, Mehmet Turgut was on the 25. February 2004 killed shots in a Doner kebab shop with a three-head. He was there to visit a friend, for whom he worked on the day of the murder at the Diner. Prior to his murder of the 25-Year-old in Hamburg, had lived.
-
The murder victim of the NSUIsmail Yaşar
In his Doner kebab shop in Nuremberg on 9 was. In June 2005, the 50-year-old Ismail Yaşar murdered. A customer found him behind the counter. Five shots had met Yaşar. He left behind three children.
-
The murder victim of the NSUTheodoros Boulgarides
In Munich on 15. June 2005 Theodoros Boulgarides was shot in his locksmith Shop. It comes as a single victim of the murder series from Greece. The 41-year-old father of two children is the seventh fatality.
-
The murder victim of the NSUMehmet Kubaşik
In Dortmund (North Rhine-Westphalia) was on 4. In April 2006, the Turkish kiosk owner Mehmet Kubaşik killed shots with several head – in the lunch hour on a busy street. The 39-Year-old left behind a wife and three children.
-
The murder victim of the NSUHalit Yozgat
Also with the head of Halit Yozgat was shots at 6. April 2006 in Kassel in Hesse killed. The murder occurred in his Internet Café, which he ran with his father. In addition, he attended an evening school to high school to catch up on. Halit was 21 years old and a German of Turkish descent.
-
The murder victim of the NSUMichèle Kiesewetter
The originating from Thuringia, policewoman Michèle Kiesewetter was 22 years old, as at 25. April 2007, was killed in Heilbronn (Baden-Württemberg) with a targeted shot in the head. Kiesewetter is the tenth and probably last victim of the NSU Terror trio.