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German Authorities Charge Former Red Army Faction Member Daniela Klette

German authorities have brought charges against Daniela Klette, a former member of the Red Army Faction (RAF), for violent acts carried out in the early 1990s. The accusations include:

• Attempted murder
• Bomb attacks (both failed and successful)
• Kidnapping for ransom
• Aggravated robbery

Klette, now 66, was apprehended in Berlin last month after being on the run for more than thirty years. Her capture followed a breakthrough by a Canadian journalist who used facial‑recognition technology to locate her.

Background

• Third generation of the RAF – continued the organization’s left‑wing militancy after its founding leaders were arrested.
• Many later members slipped through law‑enforcement cracks and went underground.
• Prosecutors say Klette participated in three major attacks between 1990 and 1993.

Key Incidents

Legal Proceedings

• A Frankfurt court will decide whether to proceed with a full trial, potentially taking several months.
• Klette’s defense team has not yet commented.
• She is already on trial in Celle for a separate series of armed robberies (1999‑2016) after the RAF disbanded.
• Allegations: stole ~2.7 million euros ($3.1 M) and attempted to shoot into a cash van during a 2015 heist.

Significance

The charges illustrate how long‑term investigations can eventually bring former militants to justice, even after decades of evasion. The case also underscores the enduring impact of the RAF’s violent legacy on German society.