Overview
- The trial against three men linked to the extremist combat sports group 'Knockout 51' opened at the Thüringer Higher Regional Court in Jena, with indictments read on Monday.
- Kevin N. and Marvin W. face charges of membership in a criminal and terrorist organization, while Patrick W., a former NPD leader, is accused of supporting the group.
- Prosecutors allege that the group recruited and indoctrinated young men with extreme nationalist ideologies, training them for attacks on left-wing activists and police starting in 2021.
- The Federal Court of Justice (BGH) referred the case back to the Thüringer OLG, affirming sufficient suspicion of terrorism after initial jurisdictional disputes.
- The proceedings are scheduled to continue through mid-December, with two of the defendants remaining in pretrial detention since their December 2023 arrests.