Augsburg, Germany - German police raided homes in Bavaria state yesterday, seizing recorded neo-Nazi music and other evidence to close down a skinhead network estimated to have 15 to 20 members.
The rightists, based in the Swabia region, styled themselves the Hate Crew of Swabia, making no secret of their racist attitudes. Police based in the city of Augsburg had been investigating the group for months and hope to indict seven men aged 26 to 33 for spreading Nazi propaganda, sedition, glorifying violence, promoting racism, money laundering and evasion of taxes.
Most of the charges involve sales of compact discs of neo-Nazi music. Police said they seized thousands of CDs, sales records, cash and four clubs during the raids. Many young neo-Nazis in Germany wear jackboots, shave their heads and sing by heart the hate-filled lyrics of skinhead rock music.
Some Hate Crew members were active in the far right National Democratic Party of Germany (NPD) and were affiliated with neo-Nazi groups. Police in Augsburg said they searched eight properties in Bavaria state and another just outside the state line.
