Since Tuesday, three suspects have had to appear before the jury court in Leoben for a bomb attack on a Caritas house in Graz thirteen years ago. This left all three in custody. The first defendant eventually caused a stir when he testified. Because he confessed that he made it all up!
The most incredible scenes take place in the Austrian negotiation rooms. Anyone who thinks they have experienced everything was proven wrong on Wednesday in Leoben. Three young men, all fathers – the wife of one of the defendants is due to give birth on Wednesday – stood before the jury. They were blamed for a bomb attack on the Caritas house in Graz. Performed by a then 15 year old. The now 29-year-old confessed to the crime several times and said he committed it.
He spent two hours telling the jury how this happened. That he was a lonely boy who moved from Lower Austria to Styria and was looking for connections. And found this in the two co-suspects – a 15-year-old and a 19-year-old at the time. They belonged to the far-right scene, a gang that regularly met in a relevant bar in Mariazell. But before he could actually join the gang, he had to pass a courage test.
Murder as a test of courage
The second defendant allegedly suggested an attack on the Caritas house in Graz. The two provided him with a bomb and clothing, and they also provided the getaway car. On the day of the crime ‘I drove to Graz and waited until it was dark. I left the bag in front of the entrance and lit the fuse, which was about three inches long,” the now 29-year-old told the professional and lay judges.
Constant contradictions
As with his previous statements to the police, major question marks continued to arise. The lawyers of the other two defendants, Bernhard Lehofer and Christopher Ruhri, also stood their ground: “Our clients have nothing to do with this case!” The second defendant, whose wife is expecting their second child on the day of the trial, has a bitter Nazi past. But he is now deeply ashamed of it. He had absolutely nothing to do with the attack.
When the first defendant again became embroiled in contradictions, the chairman asked Sabine Anzenberger: “Could it be that you are letting someone down? There are DNA traces on the bomb remains, but none of them belong to you or your co-suspects. Tell us the truth!”
“It’s all just made up”
The suspect bowed his head. After a brief pause for thought, he asked if he could speak to his lawyer. A few minutes later the two returned. The lawyer looks fascinated and announces: “My client felt under pressure during his conversations. He wasn’t there that day, he had nothing to do with it. He invented everything.’ There was a murmur, and quizzical, bewildered faces remained in the room.
“Please, why are you confessing to an act that could result in a life sentence if convicted, even though you didn’t commit it? And are there two completely innocent people involved?”, Sabine Anzenberger and assessor Armin Scheck want to know. “I felt so pressured by the police. After all, I had no one to relieve me at that time. I thought I had to prove my innocence. I’m sorry I did that. “I apologize to the other two, it’s the least I can do.”
Will they both forgive him? Doubtful, because they spent a while in prison because of it. And what happens next with the process? This continues, so a ruling is not expected until Wednesday at the earliest.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
