Tens of thousands of people were on the radar of right-wing extremist groups in Germany, a parliamentary question revealed. The lists were found during raids, arrests and investigations into prominent far-right attacks.
Image: picture alliance / Patrick Pleul/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa
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Right-wing extremist groups in Germany have gathered more than 25,000 people's contact details in so-called "enemy lists," German media outlet RedaktionsNetzwerk Deutschland (RND) reported on Monday.
The information was disclosed by the German government in response to an inquiry on the matter made by the Left party in the Bundestag.
Among the information that right-wing extremists have held were names, phone numbers and addresses of people they deemed "enemies."
High-profile cases
German authorities found the lists as part of investigations into prominent cases involving right-wing extremist groups. One of those cases was the National Socialist Underground (NSU), which recently saw the conviction of its surviving member Beate Zschäpe, for her part in the group's terrorist activities that included bombings, robberies, and murders.
Another case that led to the finding of the lists was that of Franco A., the 28-year-old German soldier who last year was found to be planning acts of political violence against prominent politicians who supported refugee-friendly policies.
The response to the inquiry revealed that the "enemy lists" have been known to authorities since 2011, but the information had not being archived or held in any database of either the federal or state governments. Only three people on the list of more than 25,000 individuals had been informed that they were being targeted by these groups.
Martina Renner, Left party politician in the Bundestag who specializes in right-wing extremism, criticized the federal government, accusing authorities of ignoring the dangers of right-wing terrorism.
Renner told RND that she found it "completely absurd" that federal investigators did not inform the tens of thousands of affected people.
"Imagine being on such a list and being left in the dark about it," she said, calling for a central database to be kept.
A recent assessment by the German Interior Ministry assessment found that while far-right extremist violence was down in 2017, there has been an increase in people joining right-wing extremist groups.
jcg/se (dpa, AFP)
Who were the victims of the neo-Nazi NSU murder spree?
From 2000 to 2007, the notorious National Socialist Underground (NSU) neo-Nazi cell killed 10 people in Germany. After five years, the trial of the group's sole surviving member has come to a close.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/N.Försterling
10 victims, 10 tragedies
Nine of the 10 victims were of foreign heritage, but they had all made Germany their home when they were killed. The 10th victim was a German police officer. Every one of them was shot in cold blood.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Enver Simsek
On September 9, 2000, the florist Enver Simsek, pictured with his wife, was shot eight times. The 38-year-old father of two sold flowers near a small parking lot in the southern city of Nuremberg. Simsek, who migrated from Turkey to Germany in 1986, is believed to be the first murder victim in the NSU series of racially motivated killings.
Image: privat/Ufuk Ucta
Abdurrahim Ozudogru
Also in Nuremberg, Turkish-born tailor Abdurrahim Ozudogru was shot on June 13, 2001 in his alteration shop. He was 49 years old with a daughter who was 19 at the time of his murder.
Image: picture alliance/dpa
Suleyman Taskopru
Later that month, on June 27, 2001 Suleyman Taskopru was shot dead in his father's fruit and vegetable shop in Hamburg. He was 31 years old and had a three-year-old daughter.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Habil Kilic
On August 29 of the same year, 38-year-old Habil Kilic, who was also a fruit and vegetable grocer, was killed in his shop in Munich. Like Taskopru, he was shot in the head. His wife and his 12-year-old daughter later left Germany.
Image: picture alliance / dpa
Mehmet Turgut
Mehmet Turgut lived in Hamburg, but was visiting a friend in the eastern German city of Rostock and helping out at a Doner kebab fast food restaurant when he was shot on February 25, 2004. He was killed by three bullets to the head.
Image: picture alliance/dpa
Ismail Yasar
Ismail Yasar was shot five times in his doner kebab restaurant in Nuremberg on June 9, 2005. A customer found him behind the counter. The 50-year-old had three children.
Image: picture alliance/dpa
Theodoros Boulgarides
Just a few days later, on June 15, 2005, Theodoros Boulgarides was shot dead in Munich in his lock and key service shop. He was the only victim with Greek heritage. The 41-year-old father of two was the NSU's seventh murder victim.
Image: DW/I. Anastassopoulou
Mehmet Kubasik
On a busy street at noon on April 4, 2006 in the western city of Dortmund, Turkish-born Mehmet Kubasik was killed by several shots to the head in his small convenience store. The 39-year-old left behind a wife and three children.
Image: picture alliance/dpa
Halit Yozgat
In Kassel on April 6, 2006, Halit Yozgat was also shot in the head. He was killed in the internet cafe he ran with his father. Twenty-one years old, Turkish-born but with a German passport, Yozgat was taking night school classes to graduate from high school.
Image: picture alliance / dpa
Michele Kiesewetter
Michele Kiesewetter, a 22-year-old police officer, was shot dead on April 25, 2007 in the southwestern city of Heilbronn. She was the NSU's 10th and final murder victim.
