The daily Süddeutsche Zeitung reported Friday that a weapon provided by 31-year-old Carsten S. had been fired at least 26 times by a trio of terrorists during the killings of nine people of immigrant background and one police officer.

Carsten S., who was arrested earlier this month and charged with helping the NSU, is said to have been in contact with the cell members from 1998 before deciding to leave the extreme far-right scene a few years later.

His lawyer confirmed that his client did provide a weapon to the suspected terrorists but didn’t know they planned to kill people with it.

Officials had previously said that they suspected Carsten S. of maintaining contact with extremist circles even after officially leaving the scene. In addition to providing the NSU with a gun, he has also been accused of giving them money and ammunition.

The NSU killings, thought to have been perpetrated by two men who killed themselves when confronted by police in 2011 and a woman who is currently in custody, shocked the nation when revealed last year.

Police failed to connect the slayings to far-right extremists, instead suspecting the victims had been involved in criminal enterprises.

On Thursday, German Chancellor Angela Merkel apologized for the murders during a memorial ceremony, saying they “brought shame on our country.”

The Local/DPA/mdm