German prosecutor: trial shows unrestrained hatred

(21 Jul 2020) A 28-year-old German man went on trial Tuesday for trying to attack people in a synagogue on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar - an assault regarded as one of the worst cases of anti-Semitism in Germany since the end of WWII. The defendant, Stephan Balliet, was led into the dock in shackles, escorted by heavily-armed police. He told the court he saw Jews as a threat to white people. Federal prosecutor Kai Lohse said the attack had shown "a new dimension of contempt for humanity." Balliet is alleged to have posted an anti-Semitic screed before carrying out the attack last October in the eastern German city of Halle. The attacker tried repeatedly but failed to force his way into the synagogue as 52 worshippers were inside. Prosecutors allege he then shot and killed a 40-year-old woman in the street outside and a 20-year-old man at a nearby kebab shop as an "appropriate target" with immigrant roots. He broadcast the shootings live on a popular gaming site. Pleas are not entered in the German system, but Balliet does not deny the crime, telling the court he first decided to turn to violence in 2015 when Germany opened its doors to more than a million migrants. Balliet is charged with 13 crimes including murder and attempted murder, along with bodily harm, incitement and other charges. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...