The German ex-Bundeswehr officer Franco A., who is accused of terrorism, has been sentenced by the Higher Regional Court of Frankfurt to five years and six months in prison. On Friday, the court found him guilty of, among other things, preparing a serious criminal offense that endangers the state.
Franco A. was arrested at Vienna-Schwechat airport in February 2017 when he tried to obtain a loaded pistol from a hiding place in a toilet. It is still unclear where the weapon came from and what he intended to do with it.
assumed a false identity
After his arrest, it was also revealed that Franco A., born in 1989, had assumed the identity of a Syrian refugee – despite his lack of knowledge of Arabic. According to his own statements, he wanted to use the false identity to expose abuses in the asylum procedure. The German federal prosecutor’s office assumed in their indictment that he wanted to make Syrian refugees suspicious after crimes had been committed.
In custody since February
Franco A. denied the charges, but admitted to hoarding several weapons and ammunition – in the event of a breakdown of public order in Germany. He has been in custody since February after being released when the trial began.
“A right-wing terrorist”
The representative of the German federal prosecutor’s office had demanded a prison sentence of six years and three months in June. Franco A. is “a right-wing extremist terrorist” who planned attacks on the lives of high-ranking politicians or public figures, according to the prosecutor. By contrast, defense attorneys had last week demanded acquittal of the main charge, preparation of an offense that would endanger the state, and fines or suspended sentences for the other charges.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
