Expert: First National Socialist Underground victim brutally murdered

NSU trial continued on Tuesday with the expert witnesses' reports on the killing of the first recorded victim of Neo-Nazi group National Socialist Underground (NSU). Chief Justice Manfred Gotzl heard forensics expert Prof Stephan Seidel of Erlangen University and ballistics expert Deiter Stiefel from Federal Criminal Police Office, the major investigative police agency in Germany. Seidel read out an autopsy report that said the first victim, florist Enver Simsek, was shot eight times, mostly from his face. Stiefel said the traces left by the bullets that were extracted from Simsek's body suggested that he was shot from a close distance using Ceska and Browning brand pistols with silencers attached. Lawyers from the prosecution asked Stiefel why it took two years for the report to be put together. Stiefel cited intense work hours and his long-term illness as excuse. NSU is charged with killing 8 people of Turkish origin, 1 of Greek origin, and 1 German police officer between 2000 and 2007. Simsek was the first victim, murdered on September 9, 2000. The NSU trial started in January and the court has so far held 26 hearings.