Germany reopens probe in fire deaths

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ANKARA, Turkey, Dec. 26 (UPI) -- German police have reopened an investigation of a 2008 building fire that killed nine Turks to see if it is linked to other neo-Nazi deaths, officials said.

The Union of European Turkish Democrats, a Turkish organization based in Germany, has provided aid to the victims' families since the case was reopened, Today's Zaman reported Sunday.

Fikret Ozdemir, Union of European Turkish Democrats president in Bavaria, said German officials didn't meet their monetary promises to the victims' families after the Ludwigshafen fire to prevent the families from claiming their legal rights. He said he also asked for support from Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu to offer more information about the incident, which is believed to have targeted Turkish immigrants.

Nine Turks, including five children, were killed in the apartment building blaze Feb. 3, 2008. Allegations had been made that German officials wouldn't investigate the fire but the renewed debate on the neo-Nazi threat in Germany has changed that thinking, Today's Zaman said.

German police have been investigating possible ties between unsolved homicides to a neo-Nazi cell in Hamburg and Bremen, officials said. In recent raids, German police seized many weapons and ammunition and detained several people.