Neo-Nazi pamphlets target Cologne area hit by racist nail bomb

Times of News

5 years ago

An alt-right group has distributed neo-Nazi pamphlets in the city of Cologne ahead of the 15th anniversary of an anti-Turkish nail bomb attack, police said Friday.

Flyers in unstamped envelopes were left in letterboxes over several days in the suburb of Mülheim, the site of the attack.

On June 9, 2004, members of the National Socialist Underground (NSU), a neo-Nazi terror cell, left a bicycle-mounted nail bomb on Keupstrasse, the center of Turkish and Muslim business in the immigrant neighborhood. The resulting explosion injured 22 people, four of them seriously, destroyed a barbershop and damaged nearby businesses and cars.

Members of the NSU, uncovered in 2011, were found to be responsible for multiple racist murders, two bombings and a series of bank robberies. A long-running court case against the group was plagued by scandals and accusations of state failures.

Read more: Germany: How do terrorist groups compare?

‘Legitimate targets’

The pamphlets distributed this week bore large swastikas (a banned symbol in Germany), contained inflammatory messages and warned of imminent acts of violence against Muslims. It told Muslims to leave Germany and called them “legitimate targets.”

The pamphlets claimed to be published by a group called Atomwaffen Division Germany. Atomwaffen Division is a relatively new Florida-based, militant neo-Nazi group that plans the violent overthrow of the US government and advocates fascist Nazi beliefs. The Anti-Defamation League classifies it as part of the alt-right movement.

A German division of the group sprung up in mid-2018 with flyers distributed in Berlin and a provocative social media video.

Witnesses have reported seeing a younger brunette woman distributing the envelopes in one of the targeted streets. According to media reports, similar leaflets were distributed in Frankfurt a few days earlier.

A commemoration event is planned for Sunday on the site of the attack, where there have been calls for a permanent memorial. Police are investigating the leaflets, but have said they do not foresee a risk to the event.

The victims of the neo-Nazi NSU murder spree

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.

The victims of the neo-Nazi NSU murder spree

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.

The victims of the neo-Nazi NSU murder spree

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.

The victims of the neo-Nazi NSU murder spree

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.

The victims of the neo-Nazi NSU murder spree

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.

The victims of the neo-Nazi NSU murder spree

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.

The victims of the neo-Nazi NSU murder spree

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.

The victims of the neo-Nazi NSU murder spree

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.

The victims of the neo-Nazi NSU murder spree

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.

The victims of the neo-Nazi NSU murder spree

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.

The victims of the neo-Nazi NSU murder spree

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.

Author: Iveta Ondruskova