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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Walter Lübcke: Man on trial admits to killing German politician | Walter Lübcke: Man on trial admits to killing German politician |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| A man on trial in Germany for the murder of pro-migrant Christian Democrat politician Walter Lübcke has told the court he fired the fatal shot. | A man on trial in Germany for the murder of pro-migrant Christian Democrat politician Walter Lübcke has told the court he fired the fatal shot. |
| Far-right sympathiser Stephan Ernst previously admitted to killing Lübcke, but later withdrew his admission. | |
| Lübcke was shot in the head at close range in his garden in Istha last June. | Lübcke was shot in the head at close range in his garden in Istha last June. |
| If a political motive of far-right extremism is proven, it would be the first such killing of a politician in the country's post-war history. | If a political motive of far-right extremism is proven, it would be the first such killing of a politician in the country's post-war history. |
| Lübcke, 65, was the head of the regional council in the German city of Kassel. He was known nationally for supporting Chancellor Angela Merkel's call to take in refugees in 2015. | Lübcke, 65, was the head of the regional council in the German city of Kassel. He was known nationally for supporting Chancellor Angela Merkel's call to take in refugees in 2015. |
| During a town hall meeting that year he called for audience members to stand up for Christian values. | During a town hall meeting that year he called for audience members to stand up for Christian values. |
| "Whoever does not support these values can leave this country any time, if he doesn't agree. This is the freedom of every German," he said. | "Whoever does not support these values can leave this country any time, if he doesn't agree. This is the freedom of every German," he said. |
| Ernst and co-defendant Markus H, who is accused of giving Ernst firearms training, allegedly attended that meeting. | Ernst and co-defendant Markus H, who is accused of giving Ernst firearms training, allegedly attended that meeting. |
| According to prosecutors, it was after that meeting that Ernst "increasingly projected his hatred of foreigners on to Lübcke." | According to prosecutors, it was after that meeting that Ernst "increasingly projected his hatred of foreigners on to Lübcke." |
| On Wednesday, Ernst told the Higher Regional Court in Frankfurt am Main: "I fired the shot." | On Wednesday, Ernst told the Higher Regional Court in Frankfurt am Main: "I fired the shot." |
| He claimed he acted with Markus H. However prosecutors say they do not think Markus H was present at the scene of the crime. | He claimed he acted with Markus H. However prosecutors say they do not think Markus H was present at the scene of the crime. |
| Addressing Lübcke's family, Ernst said that he was guided by "wrong thoughts" and took responsibility for it. | Addressing Lübcke's family, Ernst said that he was guided by "wrong thoughts" and took responsibility for it. |
| "Nobody should die because they have a different opinion," he said. | "Nobody should die because they have a different opinion," he said. |
| Investigators have also charged Ernst with attempted murder over the stabbing of an Iraqi asylum seeker in 2016. | Investigators have also charged Ernst with attempted murder over the stabbing of an Iraqi asylum seeker in 2016. |
| He is known to have had links to neo-Nazi networks and investigators are exploring a possible connection to the National Socialist Underground (NSU) - an extremist group which shot dead 10 people, most of whom had migrant backgrounds, between 2000 and 2007. | He is known to have had links to neo-Nazi networks and investigators are exploring a possible connection to the National Socialist Underground (NSU) - an extremist group which shot dead 10 people, most of whom had migrant backgrounds, between 2000 and 2007. |
| Germany has seen a rise in support for the far right, especially in the country's formerly-communist east. | Germany has seen a rise in support for the far right, especially in the country's formerly-communist east. |
| There are 24,000 right-wing extremists in Germany, according to government figures. Nearly 13,000 are believed to have a tendency towards violence. | There are 24,000 right-wing extremists in Germany, according to government figures. Nearly 13,000 are believed to have a tendency towards violence. |
| Authorities have stepped up their crackdown on the country's underground far-right following the politician's murder and an attack on a synagogue in the eastern city of Halle last year. | Authorities have stepped up their crackdown on the country's underground far-right following the politician's murder and an attack on a synagogue in the eastern city of Halle last year. |
| Horst Seehofer, the country's Interior Minister, has vowed to be tougher on security measures and has promised to crackdown on hate speech. | Horst Seehofer, the country's Interior Minister, has vowed to be tougher on security measures and has promised to crackdown on hate speech. |
| He recently declared far-right extremism the "biggest security threat facing Germany." | He recently declared far-right extremism the "biggest security threat facing Germany." |