German Court Steps Up Security Ahead Of Neo-Nazi Murder Trial

Berlin, May 6, IRNA -- German authorities have boosted security ahead of Mondayˈs start of the most high-profile neo-Nazi murder trial in Germanyˈs post-World War II history, according to news reports. Police officers have been deployed in and around the Munich court building over the weekend as legal proceedings will begin against a woman accused of being part of a neo-Nazi death squad blamed for at least 10 murders. Beate Zschaepe, believed to be the last surviving member of a gang dubbed the National Socialist Underground (NSU) accused of killing eight ethnic Turks, a Greek man and a German policewoman between 2000 and 2007, is to face trial with four alleged accomplices. Meanwhile, hundreds of police will be stationed throughout the city on Monday as thousands of people are expected to take to the streets to protest against racism and neo-Nazi violence. The neo-Nazi murder trial had been repeatedly delayed as a result of lawsuits over the courtˈs failure to grant sufficient access to especially foreign media representatives from Turkey where most victims originated./end