Extremism

Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic
Security Policy Section
public@mvcr.cz

The Report on the Issue of Extremism in the Czech Republic in 2000

»contents

5. The Extremist Scene in the Central European Geopolitical Area 84

Right-wing Extremist Spectrum

According to data provided by the Federal Bureau for Constitution Protection, in 2000, Germany saw a considerable increase in the number of crimes with a right-wing extremist, anti-foreigner and anti-Semitic subtext. According to preliminary statistical data published at the end on 2000, the total growth in such crime reached, in comparison with 1999, approximately 19%. In the case of crimes aimed against foreigners, an increase of 14% was recorded and in the case of anti-Semitic crime, the rise accounted for 9%.85 The detection rate of this kind of crime accounted approximately for 78%. The most serious cases were an attack on a Mozambique student by three skinheads in Dessaus in June 2000, causing the student’s death,86 and an explosion of a bomb in a Düsseldorf train (27 July 2000), where ten immigrants from the countries of the former Soviet Union who regularly travelled by this train were injured, out of whom six were of Jewish origin. An autumn series of attacks against synagogues also caused wide media attention.

In 2000, the number of members of right-wing extremist groups declined moderately, and is estimated as 51,4000. However, the number of those who are ready to use violence to enforce their aims rose markedly. All this was accompanied by a certain acceptation of right-wing extremism in the middle class and a growing share of juvenile delinquents, limiting the option to make regressive measures even stricter, and at the same time the centre of performance of extremists was moved to the music scene.

Neo-Nazis ranked among the most significant representatives of right-wing extremists, although in terms of numbers of members they represent a minority group.87 Therefore they tired to involve the skinhead movement in their activities, which in terms of numbers of members exceeds them many times over, for their political objectives.88 A certain part of the neo-Nazis has links to the National Democratic Party (Nationaldemokratische Partei Deutschlands – NPD). In addition to the NPD the German Poeple’s Union (Deutsche Volksunion – DVU) and the Republican Party (Die Republikaner – REP) also ranked among the institutional representatives of right-wing extremism in Germany. In 2000, the possibility of prohibiting the NPD was widely discussed in Germany, since the programme of this Party contradicts the German Constitution.89 This party defines itself as socialist and considers national socialism to be the highest form of the national society. It defends a thesis that ”only ethnically homogeneous nations are capable by their organised will to implement the national and social interests of the whole. On the contrary, multiracial and multicultural societies do not have any organised will or any common interests, and thus they can be more easily subjugated by large capital”. Thanks to this ideology, the party has managed to integrate a wide spectrum of ideological streams from the Neo-Nazis to the left-wing. The objective of this party is to build up ”on the ruins of liberal capitalism a new Germany which must shake off political, economic and spiritual-cultural extraneous hegemony and get back its identity” In terms of election results, this party has remained insignificant so far (1.4% in the last provincial elections in Saxony).

The number of right-wing extremists, Neo-Nazi crimes and acts aimed against foreigners was higher in Austria, according to the preliminary report. According to the Report on Extremism presented by the Austrian Ministry of the Interior, neither the state nor democracy are threatened from the side of right-wing extremism.

In 2000, the largest base of Austrian right-wing extremism was represented particularly by the Austrian branch of the international neo-Nazi organisation, Blood&Honour, established in Austria as recently as 1996, but this branch concentrated mainly on attracting more members in 2000. Burgenland, Styria and Carinthia rank among the provinces with the strongest extremist base. The local skinheads maintain close contacts with the international scene. Another representative of the right-wing and often also of neo-Nazi views is the Society of the Graduated Free (Freiheitlichen Akademikverbande – FAV), which in its journal called Aula openly publishes racial and anti-Semitic articles. Furthermore, another extreme right-wing organisation developing its activities in the Austrian territory is the Working Society for Democratic Policy (Arbeitsgemeinschaft für demokratische Politik – AFP), which, i.a., organised seminaries for right-wing extremists from Austria as well as from abroad. Austrian members of the extreme nationalistic organisation, the German Community of Undergraduates (Deutsche Burshenschaft), organised a discussion with their German colleagues in Austria in 2000 about the national principle (Völkisches Prinzip). In compliance with this principle, the German nation is not defined by the territory of Germany, but by its ” language and blood”, and thus Austrians are also a part of the ”German nation”.

The activists of these movements are not only persons firmly ascertained in their ideology, but more and more also persons whose life, social, political, and economic expectations have not been satisfied. Dissatisfaction with their own life is manifested by various forms of ”unconventional” conduct such as using verbal and physical violence, organising protest actions or membership in right-wing associations. The reasons why some young people incline to such movements are hostility towards foreigners, rejection of multicultural society and continuing American influence and globalisation.

In 2000, the skinhead movement represented the most numerous base of right-wing extremism in Hungary. Although on one hand the increase in the number of skinheads was stopped, on the other hand a part of the skinheads supporting neo-Nazism became more militant. In 2000, a neo-Nazi part of the skinheads represented a serious danger to public order. In 2000, racial attacks were most frequently aimed against Jews or Roma. In February 2000 (13 February), as in 1999, a demonstration of neo-Nazis, who commemorated the 54th anniversary of the attempt of Hungarian nationalistic armed forces to capture Budapest occupied by the Soviet Army, was organised. Unlike the previous year, there were no skirmishes with police. According to the National Security Bureau (Nemzetbiztonsági Hivatal – NBH) Blood&Honour, having 500 – 600 members, is the most important neo-Nazi group in Hungary. This organisation is ”represented” in the Hungarian political scene by the party called the Hungarian National Face. As in other countries, the right-wing extremist parties also showed a tendency to manipulate the skinhead movement in Hungary and use it for their own purposes, especially as their ”striking force”.90

In 2000, the party chaired by Istvan Csurka – the Party of Hungarian Justice and Life (MIEP) – remained the most significant right-wing extremist party in Hungary.91 In 2000, Hungarian right-wing extremists continued maintaining contacts with similar foreign organisations. I. Csurka, in connection with a meeting with the French extremist, J.M. Le Pen, held in April 2000, emphasised the significance of international contacts of ”nationally and right-wing oriented” political parties. As in Austria, according to Hungarian security authorities, there is no such organised political force which could imminently threaten the democratic basis of the state in Hungary.

In 2000, the skinhead movement became more radical in Slovakia and can be proven not only by a number of cases when Roma or foreigners were attacked by skinheads, but also enhanced methods of selecting the targets and planning the attacks.92 International links represented an important element in the better organisation of Slovak skinheads. The Slovak police published information in February 2000 from which it is obvious that Slovak skinheads are internationally oriented, mainly to the Czech Republic, Hungary and Austria.93 The most serious racial incident in Slovakia was an attack against a Roma woman, Anastazia Balazova, and her two daughters which happened in Zilina (20 August 2000), and which was qualified as a racially motivated murder.

The Slovak Solidarity (SSO) can be considered as the most important organisation representing particularly the interests of skinheads.94 This organisation, together with a few other ones, publishes its opinions on the web sites of the International Third Position.

In 2000, the activity of police forces fighting the skinhead movement increased and they succeeded in breaking mutual communication between skinhead groups and, to a certain extent, they managed to destroy this movement. 95

The Slovak National Party (SNP) continued to be the most significant political representative of extreme right-wing and nationalistic ideas. This party continued in its activities, aiming at rehabilitating the Slovak fascist state led by President Tiso.

In 2000, predominantly the skinhead movements and related political parties were the most important representatives of right-wing extremism in Poland.

No party currently represented in the Polish Parliament (either in the Chamber of Deputies or in the Senate) can be expressly marked as right-wing extremist or racially oriented. A certain exception represented propaganda of the strongly anti-communist Republican League (Liga Republikanska), which had only one seat in the Parliament. Its propaganda also involved some elements of anti-Semitism. According to available information, the following non-parliamentary parties in 2000 mostly promoted racism and anti-Semitism: the Polish National Front, (Polski Front Narodowy), the National Party (Stronnictwo Narodowe) and the Polish National Community /Polish National Party (Polska Wspólnota Narodowa/ Polskie Stronnictwo Narodowe - PWN/PSN), and the Polish National Restoration (Obrodzenie Narodowe Polski). These parties have links with the skinhead movement. 96

One of the most important right-wing extremist incidents in 2000 was the demonstration of right-wing extremist organised in Katowice (11 November 2000), where about 400 extreme nationalists took part. They burnt the Israeli and EU flags and shouted anti-Jewish slogans. 97

Anti-Semitism proved to be a important element of racism in Poland in 2000, including the common practice of marking as Jews people who are not of Jewish origin. There were several attempts to organise provocations near a former concentration camp. The most known is an incident tied to the distribution of leaflets, ”Jews to gas!”, not very far from the Majdanek concentration camp (May 2000). Attempts to deny the holocaust were recorded as well. In 2000, the most important anti-Semite papers were the Sword (Szczerbiec), published monthly by the Polish National Restoration and some, mostly independent Internet bulletins as Campaign (Krucjata), I am a Pole (Jestem polakiem), Recognise Jews (Rozpoznej Źydów), and Jews Stop Lying (Źydzi prestancie klamać).

Left-wing Extremist Spectrum

The significance of left-wing extremism was lower in Germany in 2000 than right-wing extremism.98 Although no establishment of left-wing terrorist groups capable of planning systematic terrorist activities was confirmed in the territory of Germany in 2000, internal security is still threatened by left-wing extremists since the majority of these individuals consider the regime in Germany to be racial and their main objective is to destabilise it. This is the reason for the ongoing monitoring of their activities by German security units.

In 2000, the security forces, in connection with the demonstrations prepared against the World Exhibition in Hannover and against the activities of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank (IMF/WB), focused their attention on the anarchist-autonomous scene consisting especially of small groups of extremists. Among those groups, a considerable growth in militant attitudes was recorded in 2000. Their membership base comprises of about 6,000 persons and, as the police investigators detected, 90% of left-wing motivated violent acts were committed in 2000 by this ”autonomous scene”.99 Starting fires, attacks against communication and data networks, destruction of electrical poles, and pulling down electric wires ranked among the long-term crimes committed by these groups. The most significant demonstration aimed against EXPO 2000 was held on the day of its opening (1 June 2000) 100. A range of German left-wing extremist organisations decided to support protest actions in Prague against the IMF/WB meeting. Some of these organisations promised to participate, the others focused on organising protest actions against the IMPF/WB in the territory of Germany.

In 2000, no information was collected to prove more considerable activities of left-wing extremists in Austria. The activities of some organisations, which could be considered as left-wing with extremist orientation, were recorded in connection with the IMF/WB meeting in Prague. The actual contribution of Austrian left.-wing extremists to the organisation of demonstrations in Prague was a proposal for a communication system which made use of Short Message Service (SMS).

In terms of the Hungarian Intelligence Service (NBH) the left-wing extremists did not represent any security risk in Hungary because, for several years, they have not been able to establish a more considerable independent organisation representing their views. They participated in the preparations of the demonstrations against the IMF/SW in Prague.

No increase in left-wing extremism was recorded in Slovakia in 2000 as well.

The significance of left-wing extremism was considerably lower than that of right-wing extremism in Poland. Polish left-wing extremists were also involved in preparing protests actions aimed against the IMF/WB meeting in Prague. The most active of all Polish organisations in this field was the Anarchist Federation in Wratislaw (WAF). Besides preparing the journeys of some of their members, also it organised solidarity demonstrations on 26 September 2000 directly in Wratislaw. A share of Polish left-wing organisation in preparing the demonstrations was marked by a total lack of money.

The Issue of Dangerous Sects and Pseudo-religious Organisations

In Germany 101 and in Austria 102 in 2000, as in previous years, the Church of Scientology was perceived as potentially dangerous. The activities of the Church of Scientology, which has approximately 6,000 members, have been monitored by the Federal Bureau for Constitution Protection since 1997 because of a long-term suspicion that this organisation could be striving for a change of the free, democratic order in Germany. The representatives of this Bureau on the basis of justified suspicion that this sect is striving for world wide rule emphasised the necessity of international cooperation in monitoring its activities. 103 According to the opinion of Austrian experts, the Scientologists represent a security risk because they are internationally linked and due to the way which they use for retaining their members. The Church of Scientology discourages its members from leaving the organisation through psychological pressure or extortion.

In Hungary, Slovakia and Poland, the danger of so-called dangerous sects and pseudo-religious organisations was not perceived so sharply.

In 2000, there was a discussion in Hungary how to make too liberal legislation concerning churches and religious societies stricter, which resulted in adoption of the amendment to the Income Tax Act. In accordance with this amendment only six, so-called historical churches, can claim tax relief. A wide range of religious sects and pseudo-religious movements operated in Slovakia, including the Church of Scientology. However, in terms of state structures, they were not perceived as dangerous to society. Although there was no increase in activities of the aforementioned entities in Poland in 2000, special police teams for investigation of crimes relating to such religious sects were established. They are responsible for monitoring the activities of new religious movements which, in the opinion of relevant experts, often breach the laws of democratic countries, e.g. by restricting human or property rights.

5.1 Up-to-date Technology and Extremists in 2000

The modern means of communication make mutual communication among extremist groups easier. In 2000, extremists maximally used the Internet, e-mail and mobile phones. In an international scale, sending SMS messages (i.e. Short Message System) from mobile phones became a powerful communication tool of both right-wing and left-wing extremists. By connecting an additional keyboard, 104 which simplifies sending SMS messages, the mobile phone has become an efficient and relatively cost effective means of communication.

A compressed data MP3 format was fully used while distributing musical recordings with right-wing extremist topics, particularly racial ones. They also make use of anonymous services offered by Internet providers having their seat outside the European Union, often in the USA. Using such a service usually makes it impossible to trace the e-mail sender, and thereby makes proving certain types of crimes offences difficult - e.g. propagation of Nazism, racism, etc.

An increased usage of the Internet by extremists reached in some countries, particularly in Germany, 105 qualitatively new dimensions of information networking of individual extremist groups. These groups, connected by a network, create an organisation which is very wide and efficient, yet difficult to monitor

In addition to classical dissemination of extremist propaganda, racial oriented musical recordings and more intensive coordination of activities through modern means of communication, in 2000 there was a considerable increase in cases when right-wing extremists disclosed black lists on the Internet with the names and addresses of their opponents.

In 2000, there were signals that left-wing extremists, particularly in Austria, began using the latest miniature wireless video technology to document the interventions by the police against demonstrations. 106