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Neo-Nazi on trial over politician murder admits killing

Stephan Ernst allegedly shot Luebcke in the head on June 1, 2019

05 August, 15:03
(ANSA-AFP) - BERLIN, 05 AGO - A German neo-Nazi on trial over the murder of pro-refugee politician Walter Luebcke admitted Wednesday to the killing that has shocked the nation and highlighted the growing threat of right-wing extremism. "I fired the shot," Stephan Ernst, 46, told the court of the killing in a statement read out by his defence. Federal prosecutors have said Ernst was motivated by "racism and xenophobia" when he allegedly shot Luebcke in the head on June 1, 2019. Luebcke's killing is believed to be Germany's first far-right political assassination since World War II. Apologising to the victim's family, Ernst said he had carried out a "cowardly and cruel" act. He insisted that he did not act alone but along with co-defendant Markus Hartmann, who stands accused of helping him train with firearms -- including the murder weapon. "I know that what I and Hartmann did to you will always be inexcusable. What we did was wrong," he told the family in the statement. "No one should die because he has another view," said Ernst, adding that he had been "misled by wrong ideas". (ANSA-AFP).

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