The German police say it has detained two suspects in connection with the murder of a pro-immigration politician shot by a far-right sympathiser, who confessed to the crime. The National Socialist Underground, whose members murdered eight Turks, a Greek man and a German policewoman from 2000 to 2007. The 2011 discovery of the NSU unleashed fierce criticism of the intelligence agencies and police for underestimating the risk of far-right violence. Merkel’s Christian Democrats, of which Luebcke was a member, have said the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) must share blame for the Luebcke murder, by legitimising a language of hate that encourages political violence. On Wednesday, a regional AfD lawmaker in the Bavarian parliament was condemned after he remained seated as the chamber stood for a minute’s silence to remember Luebcke.

Source: Punch June 27, 2019 11:48 UTC