German Prosecutor Maintains Charges Against Ex-RAF Terrorist Klette

Germany's federal prosecutor, Jens Rommel, has affirmed the necessity of pursuing charges against former Red Army Fraction (RAF) terrorist Daniela Klette, even after her recent conviction in a separate criminal case. Rommel stated that "the determination of individual guilt remains important, not least for victims of criminal offenses and their relatives." He emphasized that the rule of law must "soberly and forcefully clarify circumstances and individual responsibility, also in this very essential area of the history of the Federal Republic of Germany."

The federal prosecutor's office has filed charges against the 67-year-old Klette at the Higher Regional Court in Frankfurt am Main. The charges include two counts of attempted murder, involvement in attempted and completed bombings, extortionate kidnapping, and aggravated robbery committed jointly with others. The court has yet to decide whether to accept the indictment and schedule trial dates. These allegations pertain to crimes Klette allegedly committed during her membership in the third generation of the RAF, although her membership itself is now time-barred.

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The determination of individual guilt remains important, not least for victims of criminal offenses and their relatives.

Klette was sentenced in late May by the Verden District Court in Lower Saxony to 13 years in prison for robberies of cash transport vehicles and supermarkets between 1999 and 2016. These crimes occurred after her time with the RAF and were allegedly committed with accomplices Burkhard Garweg and Ernst-Volker Staub. The charges in that case include aggravated robbery, attempted aggravated robbery, weapons law violations, extortionate kidnapping, and severe robbery extortion. This verdict is not yet legally binding. Rommel indicated that if the conviction becomes final, the Frankfurt court would need to consider the sentence imposed in the separate case.

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The rule of law must soberly and forcefully clarify circumstances and individual responsibility, also in this very essential area of the history of the Federal Republic of Germany.