A young neo-Nazi who planned terrorist attacks is convicted in Luxembourg

One of the most disturbing trials of recent years has come to an end in Luxembourg. Alexandre, a young radical, was sentenced to eight years in prison, two of which he must spend in jail. The rest with a mandatory five-year deradicalisation programme, underlining the seriousness of the state's intentions in the fight against extremism. Despite his age (he was a minor during part of the incriminated acts), the court considered his actions so dangerous that it rejected the mitigated measures. The prosecutor's office demanded 12 years' imprisonment.

Alexander was born in Luxembourg and had Swedish citizenship. His journey into the world of neo-Nazi ideologies began with reading manifestos of mass murderers. He soon found himself drawn into radical organisations, first with The Green Brigade, for whom he carried out an arson attack on a fur farm in 2019, and then with one of the most infamous far-right groups in the world, The Base. During his acceptance into it, he bluntly stated that he had already considered himself a National Socialist for a year and was ready to "take action".

And by "action" he meant preparing terrorist attacks. In his garage, investigators found explosives, bomb-making components and explosive parcels, as well as lists of intended victims: Jews, Muslims, blacks, homosexuals, women, foreigners - all those he considered "enemies of the race". The investigation found that he had fantasised about violence and rape and, according to the investigator, already had concrete plans for attacks.

Thanks to information from the State Security Service (SRE), the police carried out an operation to apprehend Alexander before he could realise his plans. But even when neutralised, he remained a serious threat. This is what the investigator emphasised in court: "The one whose attack was prevented is no less dangerous than the one who carried it out." The judges agreed, finding him guilty under nearly ten articles of the Criminal Code - participation in a terrorist organisation, preparation of a terrorist attack, incitement to hatred, and recruitment.