SZ-NEWSBLOG (Germany)
MUNICH – The trial began Monday of National Socialist Underground (NSU) activist Beate Zschäpe, 38, and four other accused extreme right-wing terrorists, with all eyes fixated on the one female defendent.
Along with four men, Zschäpe is accused of participation in two bombings and 10 murders, the first of which was committed 13 years ago.
Persons present in the court room Monday morning said variously that Zschäpe appeared “arrogant,” as “lacking respect,” came across as very “self-confident” and “seemed to be enjoying the situation.”
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Newspaper clippings after the arrests –Wikipedia
It is expected that the trial could go on for as long as two and half years, with three all-day sessions per week and testimony by over 600 witnesses.
Over the weekend, the defense had asked for the removal of presiding judge Manfred Götzl on grounds of alleged bias. The session was interrupted briefly Monday to address this issue; if successful, the demand would result in a delay of the beginning of what some have been calling “the trial of the century.”
Outside the Munich courthouse Turkish protesters held up photos of Turkish victims of the NSU and the Turkish flag, and demanded that the court not only clear up exactly how the “racist murders” came about, but the role some righ-twing officers in German police forces are suspected of having played in relation to the NSU.
