German neo-Nazi arrested 31 years after killing and injuring refugees

BERLIN (AA) - More than 30 years after a deadly arson attack on a refugee shelter in western Germany, authorities have identified a former leading neo-Nazi figure as the prime suspect and arrested him on Monday.

The Federal Prosecutor’s Office said in a statement that a new investigation has revealed that right-wing extremist Peter S. carried out the racist attack on the refugee shelter in the small town of Saarlouis on Sept. 19, 1991.

Ghanaian refugee Samuel Yeboah was burned to death in the racist attack, while two other residents of the shelter suffered serious injuries.

Investigations by local authorities were closed a year after the incident as they could not identify any suspects.

But the Federal Prosecutor’s Office took charge of the investigation in 2020, interviewed several witnesses and carried out house searches in recent months to gather evidence.

The 50-year-old suspect was arrested on charges of murder, attempted murder and arson resulting in death.

Peter S. had been an influential figure among the neo-Nazi groups in southwestern Germany in the 1990s, according to the weekly Der Spiegel.

He was also seen in several far-right demonstrations in these years together with the members of the far-right terror group NSU, which killed eight Turkish immigrants between 2000 and 2007.

German state authorities have long been under criticism for underestimating the far-right threat and not seriously investigating crimes committed by right-wing extremists.

Far-right terror has claimed the lives of at least 218 innocent people in the country since 1989, according to the Amadeu Antonio Foundation.