More than dozen of suspects in Czech military extremism case

The Czech military police have checked 13 suspects in the case of suspected supporters of extremist movements in the Czech military, the general staff told CTK today.

Five people have left the military and in the case of another five the suspicion has not been confirmed and they remain in the army. The situation of the remaining two soldiers is being dealt with, the general staff said.

One soldier will not have his contract with the military extended, it said.

One soldier has been convicted and dismissed from the military by the end of March, the staff said. It added, without elaborating, that three soldiers from the total number of suspects left the military within the trial period of their service and another one submitted a notice that the military accepted by the end of February.

"In five cases illegal conduct has not been proved and the soldiers were reinstalled in their posts," the staff said.

The media informed recently that two soldiers from the Zatec, north Bohemia, rapid deployment brigade and one soldier from the artillery brigade in Jince, central Bohemia, attended international meetings and demonstrations of neo-Nazis.

After the information was published the military exerted pressure on the soldiers to leave the army ranks. Their salaries were lowered and their access to weapons banned. The soldiers did not participate in the training.

The military said earlier that the new soldiers would have to sign an affidavit before joining the army in which they should pledge that they do not support the movements aimed at suppressing people’s rights and freedoms and do not declare national or racial hatred.