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| Neo-Nazi killers: German intelligence chief steps down | Neo-Nazi killers: German intelligence chief steps down |
| (8 days later) | |
| The head of Germany's domestic intelligence agency is stepping down amid criticism surrounding investigations into a far-right group suspected to have killed 10 people, mostly of Turkish origin, over several years. | The head of Germany's domestic intelligence agency is stepping down amid criticism surrounding investigations into a far-right group suspected to have killed 10 people, mostly of Turkish origin, over several years. |
| Heinz Fromm, 63, will go into retirement at his own request at the end of this month after leading the agency since 2000, the interior minister said in a statement on Monday. | Heinz Fromm, 63, will go into retirement at his own request at the end of this month after leading the agency since 2000, the interior minister said in a statement on Monday. |
| The move came a week after the agency admitted that files relevant to the investigation into the neo-Nazi group had been destroyed after the group was discovered. | The move came a week after the agency admitted that files relevant to the investigation into the neo-Nazi group had been destroyed after the group was discovered. |
| The National Socialist Underground evaded authorities' detection for more than a decade until late last year. The group – its name a clear reference to the Nazis' full name, the National Socialists – is suspected of killing eight people of Turkish origin and a Greek man between 2000 and 2006, a policewoman in 2007, and carrying out numerous bank robberies. | The National Socialist Underground evaded authorities' detection for more than a decade until late last year. The group – its name a clear reference to the Nazis' full name, the National Socialists – is suspected of killing eight people of Turkish origin and a Greek man between 2000 and 2006, a policewoman in 2007, and carrying out numerous bank robberies. |
| The domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, has taken part of the blame for failing to detect the group and for poor co-ordination between various state, local and national authorities involved in the case. | The domestic intelligence agency, the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution, has taken part of the blame for failing to detect the group and for poor co-ordination between various state, local and national authorities involved in the case. |
| German centre-left opposition leader Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in a separate statement that in retiring, Fromm "has accepted the responsibility for incomprehensible, intolerable and totally unjustifiable behaviour of his staff". | German centre-left opposition leader Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in a separate statement that in retiring, Fromm "has accepted the responsibility for incomprehensible, intolerable and totally unjustifiable behaviour of his staff". |
| His decision to step down was "right and necessary", given the destruction of files by staff, he added. | His decision to step down was "right and necessary", given the destruction of files by staff, he added. |
| Interior minister Hans-Peter Friedrich said in the statement that he respected Fromm's personal decision to seek early retirement, acknowledging that he "has had to face considerable criticism over the past months and especially last week". | Interior minister Hans-Peter Friedrich said in the statement that he respected Fromm's personal decision to seek early retirement, acknowledging that he "has had to face considerable criticism over the past months and especially last week". |
| There was no immediate word on a successor. | There was no immediate word on a successor. |
| The neo-Nazi group's alleged founders, Uwe Böehnhardt and Uwe Mundlos, died in an apparent murder-suicide in November. A third suspected member, Beate Zschäepe, turned herself in shortly afterward. She is in custody awaiting trial. | The neo-Nazi group's alleged founders, Uwe Böehnhardt and Uwe Mundlos, died in an apparent murder-suicide in November. A third suspected member, Beate Zschäepe, turned herself in shortly afterward. She is in custody awaiting trial. |
| The group's discovery has led critics to charge that Germany's domestic intelligence agency and police forces were too focused on Islamic and leftist extremism, allowing the neo-Nazis to operate unchecked. | The group's discovery has led critics to charge that Germany's domestic intelligence agency and police forces were too focused on Islamic and leftist extremism, allowing the neo-Nazis to operate unchecked. |
| Earlier this year German authorities set up a new centre that brings together national agencies and representatives of the 16 states' separate intelligence and police forces to share information daily on cases, tips, new analyses and anything else that might be of use in combating far-right crimes. | Earlier this year German authorities set up a new centre that brings together national agencies and representatives of the 16 states' separate intelligence and police forces to share information daily on cases, tips, new analyses and anything else that might be of use in combating far-right crimes. |
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