Chronology of events

Everything started on 28.3.1995 with an alleged theft of 24 pieces (= 4.8 kg) of the commercial explosive Galamon 40 from a cellar room, which was rented by Tarek Mousli. The thief is supposed to have tried to sell the explosive. The potential buyer reported this to the police. The thief stated to have found the explosive in a park.

11.3.1998: the Chief Federal Prosecution Office (BAW) starts an investigation on membership in a terrorist organisation according to § 129a versus a person unknown. This explosive is supposed to have been stolen in Salzhemmendorf and been used in a series of attacks by the RZ (=Revolutionary Cells).

12.3.1998: an initial search of the cellar room of Tarek Mousli takes place after the young thief stated on 5.3.1998 where the cellar room was. However, no explosive was found inside this cellar room and the forensic squad was not able to trace any chemical remains.

23.10.1998 to 31.5.1999: the telephone of Tarek Mousli in his sports school, his private telephone and his mobile telephone are kept under surveillance.

14.4.1999: the flat of Tarek Mousli is searched

19.5.1999: Tarek Mousli is arrested and imprisoned in the JVA Berlin-Moabit.

7.7.1999: Tarek Mousli admits at his review of remand in custody to have stored explosive in this cellar room. Already on the same day the arrest warrant is repealed and Tarek Mousli is released.

4.11.1999: the flat of Axel Haug and other flats and buildings are searched.

23.11.1999: Tarek Mousli is arrested for a second time. He is charged with: - riot leadership in a terrorist organisation. He is supposed to have been one of the leaders of the RZ from the beginning of 1986 to 1996 - membership in the RZ - storage of explosive - in 1996 he is supposed to have constructed a circuit for future attacks of the RZ.

14.12.1999: as a result of the evidence given by Tarek Mousli arrest warrants for Sabine Eckle, Axel Haug, Harald Glöde and Rudolf S. are issued. At the same time Rudolf S. was already in prison because of an arrest warrant that was issued as a result of the incriminating evidence of the principal witness Hans-Joachim Klein, in connection with the OPEC trial.

19.12.1999: several heavily armed police contingents (all in all 1.000 persons) raid the Mehringhof building and search for the alleged RZ explosive and weapon depot. Axel Haug, Harald Glöde and Sabine Eckle are transported to Karlsruhe.

20.12. 1999: arrest warrants are issued for all three. Axel Haug is imprisoned in the JVA Wuppertal, Sabine Eckle in the JVA Frankfurt-Preungesheim and Harald Glöde in the JVA Düsseldorf. Axel Haug is charged with: - membership in a terrorist organisation and - handling explosive without license, - administration of explosive in a depot in the Mehringhof building Harald Glöde is charged with: - membership in a terrorist organisation, - handling explosive without license, - participation in an attack on the ZSA (Central Social Welfare Office). Sabine Eckle is charged with: - membership in a terrorist organisation, - participation in an attack on the ZSA.

16.1.2000: arrest of Sonja S. and Christian G. in Paris; on 24.3.2000 both are spared imprisonment

4.2.2000: for Axel Haug a review of remand in custody is proposed, because at that time he was the least incriminated person according to the evidence given by Tarek Mousli At this review the arrest warrant against Axel Haug is extended as follows: - membership in the RZ - participation in the attack on the ZSA - participation in the attack on the triumphal column. In all three arrest warrants the reproach of participation in the attacks on the head of the Berlin Foreigners Office, Harald Hollenberg (28.10.1986) and on the Supreme Judge of the Federal Administrative Court, Dr. Günther Korbmacher (1.9.1987) - both had been shot in the knee - is mentioned, also participation in these attacks has come under the statute of limitation according to criminal law.

18.4.2000: Matthias B. is arrested in Berlin, his flat and his workplace at the Technical University is searched. On the same day the BGH confirms the arrest warrant which claims the same accusations as against Axel Haug: - membership in the RZ - participation in the attack on the ZSA - participation in the attack on the triumphal column.

18.5.2000: Lothar E. is arrested in Yellowknife/Canada in the presence of a BKA (Federal Bureau of Criminal Investigation) official and his house is searched. His arrest is based on an arrest warrant of the BGH (Federal High Court) with the same accusations as against Matthias B.: - membership in the RZ - participation in the attack on the ZSA - participation in the attack on the triumphal column.

30.5.2000: a second search of the Mehringhof building. Tarek Mousli guides the officials of the BKA via video direct line through the building. Neither explosive nor corresponding chemical remains are found. Only several weeks later is it known that Tarek Mousli was no longer in custody at that time. On 27.4.2000 he was spared imprisonment under special conditions.

18.6. 2000: Lothar E. is released against a security of 100.000 Canadian Dollars (ca. 160.000 DM) under the special conditions, not to leave Yellowknife and to call on the police station every day. The trial for extradition against him is scheduled for the beginning of 2001. Investigations are carried out against Lothar E. about illegal immigration. According to the evidence given by Tarek Mousli he entered into a sham marriage to get a Canadian residence permit.

4.8.2000: the BGH rejects the requests of Axel Haug, Harald Glöde, Sabine Eckle and Matthias B. to be spared imprisonment. Although the BGH states that the evidence given by Tarek Mousli is contradictory, they interpret this as " a struggle for true information". Among other things the BGH gives as a reason for an alleged danger of absconding, that an extradition "because of such 'political' crimes is extremely difficult and cannot be expected from some countries". At the end of August, the BAW announces that charges will be brought against part of the supposed culprits.

19.9.2000: The GBA (Chief Federal Prosecutor) brings charges against Tarek Mousli at the 2nd panel of the Court of Appeal in Berlin with indictment. The charges are membership in the terrorist organisation Revolutionary Cells (RZ) (§ 129a StGB), having caused an explosion and offence oft the law regarding explosives. The trial against him is scheduled for the same year.

11.11.2000: Harald Glöde was shifted from the JVA Düsseldorf to the JVA Berlin-Moabit, at his own request.

16.10.2000: Start of the so-called OPEC trial against Hans-Joachim Klein and Rudolf Schindler at the district court in Frankfurt/Main. The chief witness Hans-Joachim Klein, who himself is charged with jointly commited and three attempted murders, incriminates the also accused Schindler to have taken part in raiding the minister conference of the OPEC in Vienna 1975.

30.10.2000: The BAW brings charge against Sabine Eckle, Axel Haug, Matthias Borgmann and Harald Glöde at the 1st Senate of the Court of Appeal in Berlin. Axel Haug and Matthias Borgmann are charged with membership in the Revolutionary Cells (RZ) between 1985 and 1995, Harald Glöde between 1989 and 1995 and Sabine Eckle between 1984 and 1990. The other charges refer to two explosive attacks in the years 1987 (ZSA) and 1991 (triumphal column) as well as handling explosive without license.

30.11.2000: First public entry of Tarek Mousli after his arrest in the OPEC trial in Frankfurt/Main. The evidence of the chief witness "from hearsay" culminates in the assumption Rudolf Schindler had taken part in the fatal attack against the Hesse Minister of Economic Affairs Heinz-Herbert Karry 1981. However, nobody ever told Mousli, that Schindler had taken part in this attack. Mousli had nothing to contribute to the clearing up in the OPEC trial.

6.12.2000: The trial against Tarek Mousli is opened at the 2nd Senate of the Court of Appeal in Berlin. Mousli makes an extended confession about his membership in the Revolutionary Cells (RZ) and incriminates Sabine Eckle, Matthias Borgmann, Axel Haug, Harald Glöde and Rudolf Schindler again, who are further on in custody. Judge and Prosecutor's Office agreed already as the trial was approaching on a suspended sentence as reward for his readiness to give evidence.

18.12. 2000: After only four days of trial, which went totally after the intention of the BAW and were not disturbed by critical questions, Tarek Mousli gets a suspended sentence of two years imprisonment because of his membership in the Revolutionary Cells (RZ) and his part in an explosive attack. He leaves the court as a free man. He gets 2.400 DM from the Federal Bureau of Criminal Investigation every month plus the expenses for rent, insurance, car and telephone.

21.12.2000: In the extradition trial against Lothar Ebke the Canadian authorities come to the conclusion to adjourn the decision until the summer 2001. There would be serious doubt about the basic authorisation of the German request for extradition.

28.1.2001: Now the BAW brings charge also against Rudolf Schindler at the Court of Appeal in Berlin because of membership and riot leadership in the Revolutionary Cells (RZ) and taking part in the explosive attack on the ZSA 1987.

1.2. 2001: The 2nd Senate of the Court of Appeal in Berlin decides to open the main trial against Sabine Eckle, Axel Haug, Matthias Borgmann and Harald Glöde in March. Simultaneously to this decision the continuation of the custody is ordered.

14.2. 2001: The sentences are spoken in the OPEC trial in Frankfurt/Main. The court makes use of the chief witness arrangement for Hans-Joachim Klein. Klein is found guilty of jointly committed murder and sentenced to nine years imprisonment, Rudolf Schindler is acquitted. The Prosecutor's Office summoned before the court 14 years imprisonment for Klein and 5 years imprisonment for Schindler because of complicity in murder. They announce to lodge an appeal against both sentences.

27.2.2001: The Court of Appeal in Berlin refuses the request of the BAW on opening of the main trial against Rudolf Schindler. In their opinion the new charge, brought by the BAW in the end of January, is legally "used up" by the sentence of the district court in Frankfurt/Main in the OPEC trial. Rudolf Schindler is released from prison.

28.2.2001: The Prosecutor's Office in Paris decides against the extradition of Sonja Suder and Christian Gauger to Germany. The Prosecutor's Office in Frankfurt/Main accuses both to have taken part in the attacks of the RZ during the 1970th. They were arrested in January 2000 in France under the pressure of the German authorities.

The begin of the main trial against Sabine Eckle, Matthias Borgmann, Axel Haug and Harald Glöde is scheduled for the 22.3.2001.

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