BERLIN, March 7 (Xinhua) -- A high court in Dresden handed prison sentences of up to ten years to eight members of the German right-wing extremist group Freital on Wednesday.

The group was found guilty of attempted murder, forming a terrorist organization, and carrying out bombings against a left-wing politician and several refugee shelters in Saxony.

Timo S. and Patrick F., who were identified as ringleaders, received the highest sentences of ten and nine-and-a-half years respectively.

All eight of the defendants have been in police custody since November 2015. Justin S., the youngest member of the group who was 18 years old at the time of the incidents, cooperated with the Federal Prosecution Office in the trial and consequently received a reduced sentence of four years.

On the basis of evidence heard, the Dresden court found the Freital group had carried out a total of five bomb attacks in 2015 and was motivated by a national-socialist ideology. According to the widely-publicized court verdict, the eight right-wing extremists had done so with the explicit goal of creating "a climate of fear and repression."