Lies and Trivialization, Part VII – Enrico Theile

Enrico Theile was questioned again today – according to the investigation, he had been involved in the provision on the Ceska pistol used for the NSU murders to the Nazi shop “Madleys” in Jena. Last time Theile was in Munich, there had been discussions on whether or not Theile could refuse to testify. Today Theile, like many witnesses before, decided to testify – and to claim not to remember anything.

Theile denied all connection to the weapons deal. He stated that Jürgen Länger, who according to investigations was also involved in the gun deal, was a pal whom he knew from the neighborhood. Also well known to him was Hans Ulrich Müller, who was involved in the weapons deal on the Swiss side. Theile had inter alia visited Müller in Switzerland. Theile stated that he had discussed the “wanted” poster concerning the “Kebap killings” with Müller, who had also told him that his house had been searched in that connection. He claimed not to remember anything more of that discussion, and he remained steadfast in that claim even after presiding judge Götzl showed quite clearly that he did not believe him, even referring to an earlier perjury conviction of Theile. Theile similarly claimed not to remember discussions with Länger or discussions with Müller concerning Länger.

Theile thus joins the ranks of the “forgetful” witnesses from the Nazi scene and its surroundings who lie more or less believably, claiming not to remember anything even where this is obvious nonsense. To give one example, Theile claimed that he had never had anything to do with guns and neither had Müller – this despite the fact that he was subject of several investigations for armed crimes, that cartridge casings were found with him in 1997 and a “pen gun” in 2004, and despite the fact that he knew of Müller’s arrest in an investigations for weapons crimes.
In 2012, Theile was apparently afraid that he would be arrested in connection with the NSU, also admitted as much in a statement to the police – today, he again claimed not to remember this at all.

Presiding judge Götzl, obviously irritated by Theile’s obstinacy, interrupted his questioning at 4 pm, to be continued at a later date. What is clear is that the witness, if he does not change his testimony, will face an investigation for perjury – but probably only after the end of the trial in Munich.