Syrian Teen Goes on Trial in Berlin over Knife Attack at Holocaust Memorial
The suspect, identified by the court as Wassim Al M., is accused of supporting ISIS and intentionally targeting what he believed to be a Jewish victim.
ERBIL (Kurdsitan24) – A 19-year-old Syrian man went on trial in Berlin on Thursday for carrying out a knife attack on a Spanish tourist at the capital’s Holocaust memorial just days before Germany’s general election in February.
The suspect, identified by the court as Wassim Al M., is accused of supporting ISIS and intentionally targeting what he believed to be a Jewish victim. According to prosecutors, he approached the 30-year-old Spanish tourist from behind among the concrete slabs of the memorial and slashed his throat with a knife, leaving a 14-centimetre wound.
The victim, who was visiting with two friends, managed to escape the memorial’s steles and collapsed outside, badly injured but alive.
Prosecutors told the court on Thursday that the suspect had “internalized ISIS ideology, rejected the Western way of life, and believed a global holy war should be waged against non-believers.” They said he shouted “Allahu akbar” immediately after the attack.
Investigators say the suspect travelled from Leipzig to Berlin with the intention of carrying out the assault, motivated by support for ISIS and inflamed by tensions linked to the conflict in the Middle East. Shortly before the attack, he sent a photo of himself to ISIS contacts via a messaging platform, offering his services to the group.
Police arrested him at the scene with blood on his hands. Officers said he was carrying a copy of the Quran and a prayer rug.
The attack sent shockwaves through Germany just two days before the national vote, which had already been dominated by debates over immigration and security following a series of violent incidents involving migrants.
Germany hosts around one million Syrians, many of whom arrived during the refugee crisis of 2015 under then-Chancellor Angela Merkel. Since the overthrow of President Bashar al-Assad in December, discussions have intensified over whether Syrian refugees should return home.
The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has amplified calls for deportations, pointing to high-profile crimes involving migrants. The federal government has confirmed it is in talks with Syria’s new Islamist-led authorities about resuming deportations of individuals convicted of violent offences.
