Danish officials have extradited American neo-Nazi Gary Lauck to Germany to face charges related to racist activity.
Lauck, 41, who was arrested near Copenhagen on March 20 at the request of German authorities, faces five years in jail in Germany if convicted on the charges – which include racial incitement and the distribution of illegal propaganda and Nazi symbols – lodged against him.
He was transferred to German custody after the Danish Supreme Court upheld the extradition order and after Danish authorities turned down during the past week two separate attempts by Lauck to receive political asylum and humanitarian asylum in Denmark.
A German prosecutor confirmed that Lauck arrived at Hamburg airport Wednesday and was transferred to a custodial prison in the northern port city.
Lauck, of Lincoln, Neb., heads the National Socialist German Workers’ Party- Foreign Organization, which takes its name from Adolf Hitler’s original Nazi party.
According to German investigators, Lauck and his publishing empire, taking advantage American free-speech laws, have been distributing neo-Nazi literature and paraphernalia in Germany for more than 20 years.
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