Stephan Ernst, 45, a far-right militant with previous convictions, initially confessed to the murder, but later retracted his confession. Ernst claimed they had argued with Lübcke, and that his accomplice had shot him by accident when the politician stood up to cry for help. He added that his client had only initially confessed to killing Lübcke himself in the hope of receiving financial support for his family. His killing is one of several recent cases which have prompted questions over how the German state combats right-wing extremism. Announcing the new measures, Seehofer said Lübcke's killing was part of an "ugly trail of blood" which far-right terrorists had left in Germany in recent years.

Source: The Local January 08, 2020 17:26 UTC