Arabic version: عضو سابق في RAF يُحكم عليه بعد عقود من الهروب
According to BBC News,
Daniela Klette, a former member of the German militant group Red Army Faction (RAF), has been sentenced to 13 years in prison for a series of armed robberies committed between 1999 and 2016. Klette, 67, was apprehended in a flat in Berlin in February 2024 after more than 30 years evading authorities. She was found guilty in a Verden court of aggravated robbery, violating weapons laws, and other offences.
The court proceedings revealed that Klette had participated in multiple robberies, including attacks on supermarkets and armored vans, alongside two other RAF members who remain at large. Notably, the first robbery occurred in Duisburg in July 1999, where masked attackers rammed a cash transport van and threatened the guards with guns and a grenade-launcher, stealing a significant amount of cash. The final robbery in June 2016 netted the group nearly €1.4 million.
Klette’s arrest followed a tip-off to police, leading to her discovery living under an assumed identity in Berlin’s Kreuzberg district. Despite her long evasion, she reportedly made no effort to conceal her identity, and neighbors described her as friendly and approachable. Investigative efforts, including the use of AI facial recognition technology, ultimately led to her capture.
Although Klette did not explicitly admit to her RAF affiliation during her trial, she faces potential further legal action. Federal prosecutors allege her involvement in three terrorist attacks linked to the RAF, including a failed bombing in front of a Deutsche Bank building in 1990 and a shooting incident near the U.S. embassy in Bonn in 1991. A decision on whether she will face additional charges is pending from authorities in Frankfurt.
Klette’s conviction has sparked mixed reactions, with supporters expressing their discontent in court. Some view her as a symbol of resistance, while others emphasize the seriousness of her crimes. The two other fugitives involved in the robberies remain unaccounted for, with authorities continuing their search.
