Extremists on Trial for Arson Attacks

The trial of three German left-wing extremists accused of firebombing a regional crime office, setting cars ablaze and planning to bring about "violent revolution" in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt, began on Tuesday. The trio allegedly organized the attacks in memory of Carlo Giuliani, a demonstrator killed during the Group of Eight summit in Genoa, Italy two years ago. Authorities believe the group founded an anti-globalization organization in August 2001 in the eastern city of Magdeburg, the capital of Saxony-Anhalt, and planned further arson attacks after setting the city’s crime office ablaze and destroying vehicles belonging to car giant DaimlerChrysler and telecommunications company Deutsche Telekom in 2002.