Lina comes from Kassel, is 25 year old, Student and has been in custody for four months. The federal prosecutor accuses her of participating in two attacks on a bar known as a neo-Nazi meeting place in Eisenach and its operator. It is also said to be part of a “criminal organization”, on whose account further attacks on neo-Nazis go. We took a closer look at the case and talked to Lina's mother about it, how it is, when the daughter suddenly becomes "Germany's most dangerous left-wing extremist" (HNA, 9.12. 2020) should be.
Am 5. November 2020 Several house searches took place in Leipzig. At least three people are being investigated. The federal prosecutor's office accuses them of planning, Preparing and carrying out attacks on neo-Nazis. One of the suspects is Lina, who was the only one arrested that morning.
In summer 2020 Lina has been in custody for a few days. The arrest warrant against her at the time was, however, suspended again after a short time. Lina complied with the reporting requirements without any objection, explain the Leipzig lawyers Elberling and Zünbül, by whose law firm Lina is represented. But in November, the federal prosecutor surprisingly took the case to himself and Lina was flown to Karlsruhe by helicopter the very next day, to be brought before the Federal Court of Justice there. She has been in custody since then. Even more surprising than the renewed pre-trial detention, however, was the subsequent press circus, tells her mother.
Political process
Lina's mother is sorry, that journalists would have tried by all means, finding something on her daughter's résumé, from which an adventurous story about the supposed radicalization of an inconspicuous young woman can be made. What are the only specific allegations against Lina about, was hardly discussed in public.
“In addition to old school friends or their professor, they even have my mother, So Lina's grandma called the nursing home and wanted to talk to her about the arrest of her granddaughter. Hardly anyone wanted to deal with the specific allegations against Lina.”
Lina's mother
The specific allegations against Lina include involvement in two attacks on neo-Nazis in Eisenach. There is, for example, the attack on visitors and the operator of the restaurant “Bull’s Eye” in October 2019. At the “Bull’s Eye” it is a well-known meeting place for neo-Nazis in Eisenach. Its operator, Leon Ringl, is a leading figure in the neo-Nazi scene in Eisenach and maintains contacts with the international neo-Nazi network “Nuclear weapons division”. Several terrorist attacks in the United States are on their account.
Neo-Nazis have been terrorizing non-right-wing young people in Eisenach for years. As for example the anti-racist and anti-fascist advice 2018 took place in Eisenach, the local neo-Nazis are attempting several attacks at once. While a play about the NSU murders was being staged inside, Antifascists outside faced a group of neo-Nazis several times. The ezra advice center registered an attack for the duration of the advice alone, three attempted attacks, a threat and property damage.
The list of acts of violence by neo-Nazis in Eisenach is long and the number of unreported cases is probably significantly higher. The self-confidence, terrorizing their enemies with the neo-Nazis in Eisenach for years, they probably draw from it to a large extent, that they have seldom encountered resistance or negative consequences.
Against this background, one must also fight in the “Bull’s Eye” and see the attack on their operator, finds Lina's mother. Ringl is not an innocent passerby either, but dangerous neo-Nazis.
In addition, Lina is accused, in June 2020 “in preparation for an attack, the home address of a target person in Leipzig” to have scouted, as it says in the declaration of the federal prosecutor. In the “Target person” was it the Leipzig neo-Nazi Brian Engelmann, the most 11. January 2016 together with over 200 other neo-Nazis and right-wing hooligans attacked the Leipzig district of Connewitz.
So who is, like apparently many journalists, asks the question, how such acts of violence come about, for which Lina is now held responsible, should possibly research instead of her biography, take a look at the political reality in Germany. In fact, neo-Nazis actually pose a real threat to many people, which has to be dealt with somehow.
Also the Leipzig soli group “Freedom for Lina” criticized, that the political framework of the whole process hardly plays a role in the reporting. The Federal Prosecutor's Office is trying with the case against Lina and the sensational press campaign, to make an example.
“How Lina is being treated right now, above all is intended to deter. No matter, whether or not she can end up being convicted for all the allegations, the political signal is clear: Anyone who organizes against neo-Nazis in Germany, is persecuted by all means and publicly portrayed as a terrorist.”
Solidarity group “Freedom for Lina”
Lina's media-effective imprisonment fits seamlessly into the recent history of political criminal prosecution of anti-fascists in Germany in general or. especially in Leipzig. The Soko Linx, which was founded specifically to combat left-wing structures in Saxony, had succeeded in striking a big blow against the Leipzig autonomists with Lina's arrest, was heard almost unanimously in the press. Above all, it was reproduced uncritically, how the special commission and the Federal Prosecutor's Office themselves rated their alleged success of the investigation.
And a notable success seems necessary: The Soko Linx has already been accused in previous proceedings, with political motivation to identify and despite unfounded evidence the “Determination success by bending or breaking” to want to bring about. In addition, the “Sniff- and ethics paragraph” 129 used, criminalizes membership in and support of criminal or terrorist organizations. The §129 place, so it says in one Handout of the Red Aid Leipzig, a “dangerous peculiarity in German criminal law” but, because with him not up “Criminal offenses that can be proven individually” being targeted, rather “Individuals due to their convictions in collective liability” would be taken.
Her lawyers also attribute Lina's second arrest and the ongoing pre-trial detention to it, that the federal prosecutor's office is now also accusing her, Part of a “criminal association” to be according to §129.
As in other 129 cases, the burden of proof seems to be extremely thin in this case too, despite extensive monitoring measures. Lina's lawyers explain:
“Extensive results from surveillance measures have also been incorporated into the files of this investigation, which intrude deeply into the privacy of the accused, to day-long observation and monitoring of conversations in private cars. Nevertheless, the "evidence", which should bring our client in connection with further attacks on neo-Nazis, extremely thin, a casual mention of a car model or the alleged involvement of a woman must suffice to substantiate the suspicion.”
Press release by the lawyers Elberling and Zünbül
Your defenders are preparing for it, that under these conditions you will have to fight hard for your client to get a fair trial. A prejudice takes place especially through the reporting, also finds her mother. This also refers to internal investigations that are actually not public. Where does this information come from??
Internal investigation passed on
Because a short time after Lina's arrest in November, numerous internal investigations surfaced in the press, their lawyers are convinced of it, that information was passed on to the press by the authorities. You have therefore filed a criminal complaint against unknown persons with the Federal Prosecutor's Office for passing on investigation files. In their statement, they also criticize the investigative authorities' press work, which go “far beyond the limits of what is permissible”. There it goes on:
“[…] we learned from newspaper articles, that investigators - very likely from the LKA Sachsen - punctured file contents for the press. And we learned from the press, that investigators tell a lot of stories, approximately, that of the supposed group, whose member our client should be, Various other criminal offenses can also be assigned. The ‘evidence’ for this thesis can be summarized as follows: it was left-wing motivated acts, there was probably a woman there. "
Press release by the lawyers Elberling and Zünbül
Though on file, which are also available to Lina's lawyers, find no evidence for this claim, this story was adopted by a large part of the German press landscape.
Lina's mother also finds it remarkable, that the NPD politician Patrick Wieschke, who had several criminal records, knew and published the names of the alleged perpetrators shortly after the attack on Ringl. Also that Lina was the alleged commando leader of the action, go back to a statement by Wieschke, she tells. So again the assumption is obvious, that information was passed on by the investigating authorities. In this case, however, not to the press, but to local neo-Nazis.
Alleged conspiracy
In the rampant reporting it was also said again and again, Lina lived in a conspiratorial manner in Leipzig, and this justifies her pre-trial detention in the public statement by the Attorney General. But a lot of that, what must serve as evidence for this, Not only does it not appear suspicious on closer inspection, but quite ordinary.
For example, it is highlighted, that her mother paid the rent for her apartment. Certainly nothing special for students, that the money for the rent comes from the parents. In addition, Lina was known to the housing company as a tenant, says her mother. How does that indicate a conspiratorial apartment?? Even the registration of the mother's first own car would probably not seem suspicious to anyone under other circumstances. Nevertheless, the story of Lina's conspiratorial life in Leipzig is uncritically picked up and spun on by many journalists.
And in Kassel?
Even if Leipzig has so far been the focus of the investigations described here, it is not save, that it stays that way. First signs, that the investigative authorities in Kassel are also interested in finding out about Lina's contacts, This already exists.
A young woman from Kassel, who would rather remain anonymous, Surprisingly, shortly after Lina's arrest, he received a witness summons from the Saxon LKA. Probably, to ask her about her connection to Lina. Your lawyer pointed out to the investigating officers of formal errors in the letter and informed them, that she will not keep the appointment. The Saxon officials then tried several times a day, Calling her and eventually even standing on the doorstep of her apartment, to urge them to talk.
At the moment, therefore, at least one must consider, explains the Red Aid in Kassel, that the investigating authorities could also have an interest in Lina's political and personal contacts in Kassel.
“We advise against it, also out of self-protection, to respond to such requests without legal support. If someone should come into contact with the police or the public prosecutor in the context of the investigation against Lina, we recommend, to report to the Red Aid immediately.”
Rote Hilfe Kassel
It is also being considered in Kassel, to build a solidarity structure for Lina, to support the Soli group in Leipzig. However, that is still at the very beginning, The goal is above all, To raise money for what is likely to be a very expensive and lengthy legal process. Not just for Lina, but also for the other accused. They would often be forgotten with the focus on Lina. In addition, her everyday life in jail alone costs a lot of money while in custody.
That many people showed solidarity with Lina, give her strength, to survive the time in custody, tells her mother. Some old friends would have contacted her as well, who wanted to know, how is Lina and what can be done for her. That is good, find them, because unless it is exactly the opposite of that, what is to be achieved with the elaborately staged process.