Originally posted by the Voice of America.
Voice of America content is produced by the Voice of America,
a United States federal government-sponsored entity, and is in
the public domain.


German Court Hands Life Sentence to Extremist Over Synagogue Attack

VOA News

   A German court has handed a life sentence to a convicted right-wing
   extremist for an attack on a synagogue last year in the city of Halle.
   On October 9, 2019, Stephan Balliet, 28, killed two people after he
   failed to enter the synagogue where worshippers were celebrating Yom
   Kippur, Judaism's holiest day.
   A five-judge panel at Magdeburg, the capital of Saxony Anhalt state,
   found Balliet "seriously culpable," for the crime, which means he will
   not be eligible for early release after 15 years, which is considered
   for those in Germany serving life sentences.
   Prosecutor Kai Lohse told the court that "the attack on the synagogue
   in Halle was one of the most repulsive anti-Semitic acts since World
   War II," while the presiding Judge Ursula Mertens, who read the
   verdict, described Balliet's act as a "cowardly attack."
   During the trial that began in July, Balliet repeatedly said,
   "Attacking the synagogue was not a mistake; they are my enemies," and
   that he wanted to kill all the 51 people inside but was unable to open
   the building's heavy doors.
   Balliet shot and killed a 40-year-old woman on the street and
   apologized to the court, saying he did not want "to kill whites." He
   also killed a 20-year-old man at a nearby kebab shop and wounded
   several others.