A suspected former member of the left-wing militant Red Army Faction group was arrested in Berlin this week after more than three decades in hiding. The arrest of the 65-year-old woman, identified as Daniela Klette, led to the discovery of a hand grenade and other dangerous objects in her apartment.
Klette is accused of participating in a series of robberies between 1999 and 2016, following the disbandment of the Red Army Faction. Two other suspected ex-members of the group, Ernst-Volker Staub and Burkhard Garweg, are still at large and wanted for robbery and attempted murder.
The Red Army Faction, which originated from German student protests against the Vietnam War, was responsible for the deaths of 34 individuals and the injury of hundreds. The group waged a violent campaign against what they perceived as U.S. imperialism and capitalist exploitation of workers before officially disbanding in 1998.
During the initial search of Klette's residence, authorities found two magazines and ammunition suitable for a handgun, but no firearm was recovered. Subsequent searches led to the discovery of a hand grenade and other unspecified items, prompting the evacuation of the building and closure of the surrounding area in Berlin's Kreuzberg district.
The ongoing case against Klette pertains to the post-disbandment robberies, believed to have been committed to fund the suspects' underground existence rather than for political reasons. However, federal prosecutors maintain that an outstanding arrest warrant issued for Klette in the early 1990s related to her alleged involvement with the Red Army Faction remains valid.
