Two students in Germany accused of plotting a school attack

November 19, 2007

Two students from Cologne, Germany, ages 17 and 18, are accused of plotting an attack at their school on November 20, the first anniversary of the shooting at Geschwister Scholl school in Emsdetten, in which 18-year old ex-student Sebastian Bosse carried an attack that left six people wounded by gunshot and others wounded by detonated smoke bombs before taking his own life.

One of the suspects, age 17, killed himself on Friday after a confrontation with a high school teacher and police officers. The plot was uncovered when a school principal had discovered a Web page the 17-year old suspect had created, showcasing material that glorified the two perpetrators of the Columbine High School massacre.

The second suspect, age 18, is in police custody, and has confessed to the plot.

Materials including two crossbows, two air guns, instructions on how to build a pipe bomb and a list of potential victims had been seized by Cologne police when they were alerted that the plot would have taken place at the Georg-Büchner Gymnasium, located in the western district of Weiden. The items had been confiscated at their homes.