In the court proceedings against Bundeswehr officer Franco A., the evidence seems to be accumulating against the accused.

The reason for this are documents and objects that were seized from him a week ago after an identity check.

"It doesn't all sound so good," said presiding judge Christoph Koller at the beginning of the session at the Higher Regional Court on February 24.

He had previously listed the objects that A. had with him during the check or that were found during a subsequent search of his apartment: Among other things, there are 23 badges with swastikas, seven cutting and thrusting weapons, 21 mobile phones, more than 50 unused mobile phone prepaid cards and a fake vaccination card.

Matthew Trautsch

Coordination report Rhein-Main.

  • Follow I follow

The 33-year-old lieutenant who was suspended from duty has been on trial since last summer.

He is accused of having planned a serious act of violence that endangers the state, namely attacks on politicians and people who work for refugees.

A. had registered himself as a Syrian asylum seeker and received the corresponding benefits – according to the indictment with the aim of arousing suspicion about refugees after an attack.

Until a week ago, the accused was at large, but was being observed by the Military Counterintelligence Service (MAD).

As judge Koller announced on Thursday, according to the MAD, A. drove to Strasbourg on February 11, where he had previously been stationed, and visited an acquaintance there.

When he was checked at the S-Bahn station after returning, he had a plastic bag with him that contained some of the apparently incriminating material.

The guns, cellphones and prepaid cards were found in the apartment.

Documents and a computer were also confiscated.

The data contained therein is evaluated by the Federal Criminal Police Office and, according to Koller, can be used as evidence in the process if necessary.

They could also result in further prosecution.

A. said the weapons hidden under a mattress were for defense and had not been found or objected to in previous searches.

The Bundeswehr soldier also complained that his computer, which contained notes he had made in his defense, was confiscated.

A. is represented by a public defender and an elected defender.

The public defender applied on Thursday to be relieved of his mandate.

He justified this with different views between himself and the accused about a sensible defense strategy, which only allowed him a limited defense.

The Attorney General requested that the release from the mandate be rejected.