Imprisoned German synagogue attacker convicted of hostage-taking in attempted jailbreak

BERLIN (AP) — A German far-right extremist already serving a life sentence following an attempt to attack a synagogue in 2019 has been convicted of hostage-taking for his actions in a jailbreak attempt. The 32-year-old was sentenced Tuesday to seven years in prison. He also was ordered to make payments to several people. The defendant acknowledged during the trial that he took prison officers in the eastern town of Burg hostage with a homemade weapon in December 2022 in an attempt to escape. Other guards overwhelmed him and the hostages were freed unharmed. He was sentenced to life in prison in 2020 for his attack on the synagogue in Halle the previous year, in which he killed two people.