More than 30 years after an arson attack on an asylum seekers’ house in Saarlouis (Saarland) in Germany, a suspected perpetrator has been arrested. The right-wing extremist had previously been brought before the investigating judge of the Bundesgerichtshof after his arrest, the federal prosecutor’s office in Karlsruhe announced on Monday.
The 50-year-old German is strongly suspected of murder, attempted murder against 20 people and arson resulting in death. The Saarland Police admitted shortcomings in the original investigation.
Petrol poured and ignited in the accommodation
According to the federal prosecutor’s office, the suspect started the fire on September 19, 1991 “out of his extreme right-wing and racist sentiment”. He poured gasoline into the stairwell on the ground floor of the property and lit it. The fire quickly spread through the stairwell and caught 27-year-old Ghanaian asylum seeker Samuel Kofi Yeboah in the attic corridor.
He suffered severe burns and smoke inhalation, leading to his death on the day of the crime. Two other residents of the property suffered fractures after jumping out of the window. The other 18 residents fled in safety.
Serious Racist Riots
According to the federal prosecutor, the suspect had met in a restaurant with right-wing extremist like-minded people the night before the crime. There the racially motivated attacks on housing for foreigners in Hoyerswerda were discussed. The participants in the discussion would have made it clear that they would also welcome such attacks in Saarlouis. In September 1991, serious racist riots broke out in Hoyerswerda, Saxony, in which hundreds of people took part.
The federal prosecutor’s office took over the investigation on April 16, 2020. The investigation by the Saarland judiciary against unknown persons had been discontinued because a perpetrator could not be identified. According to the federal prosecutor’s office, the public prosecutor’s office in Saarbrücken has resumed proceedings based on new findings.
At the beginning of 2021, searches had already taken place in the living space of the alleged perpetrator. This was followed by extensive investigation with many witness interrogations, from which the urgent suspicion arose.
Police admit omissions
Saarland police admitted on Monday that there were omissions in the original police work. A working group set up by the state police headquarters in August 2020 found that parts of the organizational structure were not working properly at the time, Saarbrücken police said. For example, “deficiencies in the collection, evaluation and dissemination of information” were identified.
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.
