icon bookmark-bicon bookmarkicon cameraicon checkicon chevron downicon chevron lefticon chevron righticon chevron upicon closeicon v-compressicon downloadicon editicon v-expandicon fbicon fileicon filtericon flag ruicon full chevron downicon full chevron lefticon full chevron righticon full chevron upicon gpicon insicon mailicon moveicon-musicicon mutedicon nomutedicon okicon v-pauseicon v-playicon searchicon shareicon sign inicon sign upicon stepbackicon stepforicon swipe downicon tagicon tagsicon tgicon trashicon twicon vkicon yticon wticon fm
18 Feb, 2010 07:52

Extreme nationalist brought to court for fiery swastika

Extreme nationalist brought to court for fiery swastika

A man in Siberia’s Kemerovo region has been charged after he dug a giant swastika in a local forest, filled it with gasoline, and set it on fire.

The 45-year-old resident of the city Tashtagol did his landscape fire show on May 9 last year – the date of Russia’s national holyday marking the victory over Nazi Germany – which naturally led investigators to suspecting neo-Nazis responsible for the act.

The perpetrator, however, claimed after police found him that he is an old-believer and that setting on fire a solar symbol to celebrate spring was an archaic Slav tradition, local media report. He failed to explain how such a pagan ritual fits into being a member of the traditionalist Christian sect, which split from the mainstream Russian Orthodox Church in 17th century.

A subsequent search of the man’s apartment revealed that he was far from being a peaceful sun worshipper. Police seized instructions for bomb-making, unregistered firearms and rounds, and extremist propaganda material. He also had a stockpile of marijuana. Neighbours report that he was a vocal nationalist and anti-Semite, police add.

Prosecutors have charged the intolerant man with inciting hatred, illegal possession of arms and drugs.

Podcasts
0:00
23:13
0:00
25:0