Trial Begins for Former RAF Member Accused of Armed Robberies and Murder Attempt

The trial of Daniela Klette, a former member of the Red Army Faction (RAF), has commenced, with serious allegations against her including attempted murder and multiple counts of armed robbery. The 66-year-old is accused of orchestrating a series of heists across several German states, allegedly amassing over EUR2.7 million in stolen funds between 1999 and 2016.

Klette was apprehended in Berlin, while her alleged accomplices, Burkhard Garweg and Ernst-Volker Staub, remain at large. The prosecution claims that this trio executed numerous brazen attacks on cash transporters and supermarkets, employing heavy weaponry and extreme violence to facilitate their crimes.

Specific incidents outlined in the charges include:

• July 30, 1999, Duisburg, North Rhine-Westphalia: In a daring daylight robbery, Klette and her accomplices rammed a money transport vehicle with their car before threatening the guards with a rocket launcher and automatic weapons. They successfully fled with one million marks, which is equivalent to approximately EUR519,000 today.
• November 2, 2004, Leverkusen, North Rhine-Westphalia: During a supermarket raid, Klette allegedly drove the getaway car after her associates assaulted a cashier and forced her to open a safe, making off with around EUR160,000.
• December 27, 2006, Bochum, North Rhine-Westphalia: Armed robbers, believed to include Klette, threatened supermarket staff and escaped with another EUR160,000.
• April 14, 2009, Löhne, North Rhine-Westphalia: In an additional armed robbery, approximately EUR177,000 was stolen, with DNA evidence later linking the crime to Klette and her partners.
• September 30, 2011, Celle, Lower Saxony: Two masked assailants, one of whom was armed, compelled a supermarket employee to open the safe, securing EUR69,000.
• December 24, 2012, Stade, Lower Saxony: On Christmas Eve, Klette's group allegedly overran a supermarket, overpowering employees and escaping with EUR136,000.
• August 23, 2014, Elmshorn, Schleswig-Holstein: A supermarket heist netted EUR46,000, while January 2, 2015, in Osnabrück, another robbery yielded EUR60,000.
• June 6, 2015, Stuhr, Lower Saxony: Armed with a rapid-fire weapon, the group attempted to rob a cash transport, resulting in a failed getaway.
• October 19, 2015, Northeim, Lower Saxony: The crew allegedly robbed a market, securing EUR50,000 and threatening employees with firearms.
• December 28, 2015, Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony: A money transport robbery was thwarted when the driver managed to escape, although the attackers were heavily armed.
• May 7, 2016, Hildesheim, Lower Saxony: An attempted robbery at a supermarket failed due to the absence of cash but resulted in the theft of a weapon.
• June 25, 2016, Cremlingen, Lower Saxony: The group was involved in a robbery of EUR1.4 million from a cash transport, demonstrating the extreme measures they were willing to take.

The extensive investigation, which spanned several years, has led to Klette's current prosecution. As the trial unfolds, the court will examine the evidence against her and her alleged co-conspirators, further shedding light on this notorious criminal group.