Terrorism - Mercy for Terrorists?

Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift:  The 1970‘s saw a surge of left-wing extremist terrorism in Germany. The  Red Army Faction (RAF) kidnappings, bank robberies and political assassinations struck terror into the hearts of many. One by one RAF terrorists were rounded up and sentenced to long prison terms. Four RAF leaders remain in prison. Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift:  Brigitte Mohnhaupt and Christian Klar, for example, have been behind bars for 24 years. They now have the chance of early release. German President Horst Köhler has the final word. But a hot debate has erupted in Germany over whether or not their crimes should be met with clemency. Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift:  Mohnhaupt and Klar were the main actors in the kidnapping and murder of Employer Association president Hans Martin Schleyer as well as in the assassinations of federal prosecutor Siegfried Buback and the head of the Dresdner Bank Jürgen Ponto.

The surviving family members of those killed are dismayed that their murderers’ release is even being considered. Hans Martin Schleyer’s widow has repeatedly spoken out against commuting Brigitte Mohnhaupt’s sentence. Mohnhaupt has never shown remorse for her actions. Michael Buback, Siegfried Buback’s son, says that, unlike other former RAF members released earlier, neither Mohnhaupt nor Klar have done anything to shed light on the RAF’s crimes. In short, “no remorse, no mercy”. Bildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift:  RAF letter announcing its dissolutionMany politicians today see that differently and want to close that chapter of German history. The Red Army Faction has dissolved itself, they say, and the terrorists have already spent more time behind bars than most Nazi war criminals did.

The question of whether terrorists should be treated like other criminals, and enjoy the possibility of early release or pardon, is a hotly debated issue outside of Germany as well. Northern Ireland, Spain, France, Russia and Italy all have or are confronting domestic terrorism. Global Islamist terrorism is another question.

What do you think?
Terrorism – Mercy for Terrorists?

Send an email with your questions and comments to:
quadriga@dw-world.de

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Our guests were:

Bildunterschrift: José Faraldo -- After studies in Madrid, José Faraldo received a Ph.D. in history. He spends time in Moscow and Germany, where he carries out his research. Among the themes he addresses in his publications are recent Eastern European history, nationalism, and mass media. Faraldo lectures as a visiting professor at different institutes and at the Viadrina European University. He also works at the Zentrum für Zeithistorische Forschung (ZZF) in Potsdam.

Paul Hockenos -- The American author has lived in Europe since the mid-1980s and has observed the situation in the Balkans for the past twenty years. He writes for several American publications, including "The Christian Science Monitor", as well as for German newspapers.  His two most important books are "The Rise of the Right in Post-Communist Eastern Europe" (1993) and "Homeland Calling: Exile Patriotism and the Balkan Wars" (2003).

Thomas Kröter -- Thomas Kröter is the political correspondent for the Frankfurter Rundschau. Based in Berlin, he comments on current political debate in the capital and takes a look at its national and international effects.