Former RAF Member Daniela Klette Delivers Defense Plea in Robbery Trial
Former Red Army Faction member Daniela Klette delivered her closing statement at the Verden Regional Court in Germany, denying guilt for a series of armed robberies committed between 1999 and 2016. While expressing sympathy for victims, she justified the crimes as necessary for survival while living underground and framed the trial as political. Prosecutors seek a 15-year sentence for charges including aggravated robbery and weapons violations, alleging Klette stole over two million euros with accomplices. The case marks a significant legal conclusion to decades of evasion by former left-wing extremists.
Editorial summary awaiting refresh
Cross-source coverage
Wire timeline
Daniela Klette Delivers Political Closing Statement in RAF Trial
Daniela Klette, a former member of the Red Army Faction (RAF), delivered her closing statement during her trial at the Verden Regional Court in Germany. Facing charges for thirteen armed robberies committed between 1999 and 2016, Klette used the opportunity to present a political defense rather than a legal one. She justified her actions as part of radical left-wing resistance against imperialism, capitalism, and patriarchal violence, describing the proceedings as a political trial aimed at delegitimizing her movement. While expressing regret for the trauma inflicted on victims, she maintained that her struggle was for a better world. Prosecutors have demanded a maximum sentence of fifteen years, citing significant criminal energy and evidence including weapons and surveillance materials found in her Berlin apartment. Klette, arrested in 2024 after thirty-five years in hiding, acknowledged the RAF's historical role but supported its eventual dissolution. The trial highlights the lingering legacy of leftist extremism in Germany and the state's continued pursuit of former underground militants.
taz.de - taz.deFormer RAF Terrorist Daniela Klette Defends Robberies as Necessary in Court
Daniela Klette, a former member of the Red Army Faction (RAF), delivered her closing statement at the Verden Regional Court, expressing sympathy for the victims of alleged robberies while defending the acts as necessary for survival. Although she stated she was truly sorry for the suffering caused, particularly the severe psychological damage endured by victims, she did admit to participating in the crimes. Klette argued that the robberies, which allegedly netted over two million euros between 1999 and 2016, were not driven by adventure but were essential for maintaining her underground existence as a radical leftist. She portrayed herself as a victim of the political system, suggesting that societal issues like poverty and racism contribute more significantly to trauma than her actions. The prosecution is seeking a 15-year prison sentence, while joint plaintiffs, representing an armored truck driver shot at in 2015, demand eleven years. Klette claimed ignorance regarding the lack of psychological support provided to victims by their employers, indirectly questioning the sole attribution of their trauma to the robberies.
DIE ZEIT | Nachrichten, News, Hintergründe und DebattenFormer RAF Member Daniela Klette Expresses Sympathy for Victims While Denying Guilt in Robbery Trial
During her closing statement at the Verden Regional Court, former Red Army Faction (RAF) member Daniela Klette expressed sympathy for the victims of a series of armed robberies but firmly denied personal involvement in the crimes. Klette stated she was truly sorry for the suffering endured by cash couriers and checkout staff, claiming she was unaware that they lacked sufficient psychological support from their employers. She defended the robberies, carried out between 1999 and 2016, as necessary measures for survival while living underground, rejecting the notion that they were motivated by a thirst for adventure. Klette portrayed herself as a victim of the political system, arguing that illegality was the only way for radical leftists to continue existing. She also indirectly questioned the attribution of severe psychological trauma solely to the robberies, citing broader societal issues like poverty and racism as causes for increased trauma. The indictment alleges that Klette, along with accomplices Burkhard Garweg and Ernst-Volker Staub, stole over two million euros through masked, heavily armed heists on cash-in-transit vehicles and supermarkets.
DIE ZEIT | Nachrichten, News, Hintergründe und DebattenCo-Plaintiff Demands Eleven Years for Former RAF Terrorist Daniela Klette
During the ongoing trial of former Red Army Faction (RAF) member Daniela Klette, a lawyer representing a co-plaintiff has demanded an eleven-year prison sentence. The demand specifically concerns a violent armed robbery attempt on a cash-in-transit truck in Stuhr, near Bremen, on June 6, 2015. Unlike the public prosecutor, the victim's lawyer did not classify the act as attempted murder, aligning with the court's likely assessment. The lawyer emphasized the severe psychological trauma suffered by the driver, who remains unable to work due to fear and shock from gunfire during the incident. The attorney strongly criticized Klette for displaying a complete lack of remorse, insight, or compassion for her victims, accusing her of attempting to politicize the proceedings despite their focus on violent criminal acts rather than her political past. Klette, arrested in Berlin, faces charges alongside alleged accomplices Burkhard Garweg and Ernst-Volker Staub for a series of robberies between 1999 and 2016 that yielded over two million euros. The trial, held at the Verden regional court in Lower Saxony since March 2025, continues as Klette prepares to deliver her defense statement.
Aktuell - FAZ.NETTrial of Ex-RAF Terrorist Daniela Klette Enters Defense Phase
The trial against Daniela Klette, a former member of the third generation of the Red Army Faction (RAF), has entered a decisive phase as the defense prepares to present its arguments. Klette was arrested in Berlin in February 2024 after decades underground, living under the alias Claudia Schmidt. While prosecutors have demanded a long prison sentence for crimes committed between 1999 and 2016, they clarified these charges relate to robberies financing her underground life rather than active RAF terrorism. During this period, Klette allegedly collaborated with fugitives Burkhard Garweg and Ernst-Volker Staub. The article provides an overview of Klette’s role in the RAF, noting her involvement in failed attacks in the early 1990s, including incidents at Deutsche Bank and the US Embassy. It also highlights the discovery of hidden weapons in her apartment and discusses the prolonged manhunt that ended following a crucial tip in late 2023. Critics have pointed to investigative failures prior to her capture. The proceedings in Lower Saxony now focus on determining the specific penalties for the robbery charges distinct from her earlier terrorist activities.
DIE ZEIT | Nachrichten, News, Hintergründe und DebattenFormer RAF Member Daniela Klette Delivers Defense Speech in Robbery Trial
The trial of former Red Army Faction (RAF) terrorist Daniela Klette is nearing its conclusion at the Verden Regional Court in Lower Saxony, Germany. On May 12, 2026, the 67-year-old defendant delivered her defense speech following pleas from the prosecution and co-prosecutors. Klette faces charges for aggravated robbery and weapons law violations related to a series of armed heists on cash-in-transit trucks and supermarkets between 1999 and 2016. Prosecutors allege that Klette, along with still-at-large accomplices Burkhard Garweg and Ernst-Volker Staub, stole over 2.7 million euros. While five specific raids were dropped from proceedings, eight remaining counts involve more than two million euros in stolen funds. The public prosecutor has demanded a 15-year prison sentence, citing attempted murder during a 2015 incident in Stuhr where shots were fired at a driver, although the court previously ruled this did not constitute attempted murder. The trial, which began in March 2025, has seen changes in Klette's legal team, with one lawyer relieved of duties. This case marks a significant legal proceeding against a former member of the left-wing militant group decades after their active period.
DIE ZEIT | Nachrichten, News, Hintergründe und DebattenFormer RAF Member Daniela Klette to Deliver Personal Plea in Verden Trial
In an ongoing trial at the Verden Regional Court in Lower Saxony, former Red Army Faction (RAF) member Daniela Klette is scheduled to deliver her own defense plea. The proceedings, which resumed with arguments from co-plaintiffs and the defense, mark a significant phase in the case against Klette, who was arrested in Berlin. She faces charges related to a series of aggravated robberies committed between 1999 and 2016 alongside alleged accomplices Burkhard Garweg and Ernst-Volker Staub. The indictment alleges that the group, often masked and heavily armed, targeted money transporters and supermarkets to secure over two million euros for financing their underground existence. The public prosecutor has demanded a 15-year prison sentence for Klette, citing charges of attempted murder, aggravated gang robbery, and violations of weapons laws. This trial, which began in March 2025, represents a major legal development concerning former left-wing extremists in Germany. The court expects to hear Klette's personal statement following the initial pleas from other parties involved in the litigation.
DIE ZEIT | Nachrichten, News, Hintergründe und Debatten