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Terror group - no regrets

The terror trial of four Muslim fanatics planning "bloodbaths" at U.S. targets in Germany is coming to a close with the plotters showing "no regrets."

The case involving the group known as the ‘Sauerland Cell,’ after the tourist region where they were stockpiling massive amounts of chemicals for bombs, has already lasted nine months.

In a rare move, prosecutors allowed them to plea-bargain their guilt in return for shorter sentences. But in closing speeches at the high-security court in Duesseldorf, top prosecutor Volker Brinkmann said on Wednesday the gang showed "no regrets" for its actions.

"They acted out of blind hatred for American soldiers," he said. "It is terrible to think they enjoyed the concept of terror attacks that would have killed at least 150 soldiers as well as women and children." They will be sentenced next month.

Fritz Gelowicz, the German-born leader, fellow erman Daniel Schneider, Turkish-German Attila Selek, and Turk Adem Yilmaz were captured in the west German region of Sauerland in 2007, with vast stockpiles of hydrogen peroxide, suitable for making car bombs and other explosives.

All have given detailed accounts of their terrorist training at a camp in Pakistan’s "bandit country" of Waziristan together with details of the U.S. bases that they planned to blitz with their home-made bombs.

Schneider has admitted to trying to kill a policeman who he shot when they moved in to break up their Islamic Jihad Union group three years ago.

The massive U.S. Air Force base at Ramstein as well as discos, restaurants and nightclubs in the area used by service personnel were written down as potential targets for a series of bombings.

Months of undercover surveillance broke the cell up before a single innocent was killed. They were amassing enough chemicals to build at least 20 "massive" bombs, according to prosecutors.

But unbeknown to them, each time they left their hideout, the lethal chemicals were swapped for water by the authorities.

Their confessions will earn them sentences in the region of 10 to 15 years, but Schneider may receive life for the shooting of the police officer.

All said they turned to terror in disgust at the wars in Iraq and Afganistan. Germany's intelligence agencies believe that, with 4,500 troops currently in Afghanisan, the risk of a terror attack in the country remains high.

German Herald

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Tag cloud:
targets Afganistan prosecutors Section1 terror chemicals Sauerland MsoNormal bases soldiers sentences regrets region font margin killed header bombs Schneider Germany

Terror group - no regrets

Tag cloud: targets Afganistan prosecutors Section1 terror chemicals Sauerland MsoNormal bases soldiers sentences regrets region font margin killed header bombs Schneider Germany

Tag cloud:
targets Afganistan prosecutors Section1 terror chemicals Sauerland MsoNormal bases soldiers sentences regrets region font margin killed header bombs Schneider Germany