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Germany tries Syrian man over deadly stabbing that stoked migration debate
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on May 27, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 23, 2026
Global Banking & Finance Review®
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Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on May 27, 2025
2 min readLast updated: January 23, 2026
A Syrian man is on trial in Germany for a deadly stabbing linked to Islamic State, sparking migration policy debates.
DUESSELDORF, Germany (Reuters) - A Syrian man stood trial in Duesseldorf on Tuesday over a knife attack claimed by Islamic State in which three people were killed, a case that stirred debate over foreigner crime in Germany and paved the way for a crackdown on migration.
The 27-year-old defendant, identified as Issa al H, is accused of swinging his knife at a crowd of revellers at a festival in the western town of Solingen last year, stabbing several people from behind.
He faces three counts of murder and 10 counts of attempted murder, and is also charged with membership in a foreign terrorist organisation.
Issa al H admitted guilt on his first day in court, where he appeared in a blue jumpsuit with his head bowed before him, only raising his head occasionally.
"I have brought heavy guilt upon myself," he said via a statement read by his attorney.
He offered his apology to the relatives of the victims and said he was prepared to accept his punishment.
He did not comment on the allegation that he committed the crime in coordination with the Islamic State militant group.
If convicted, the defendant faces life imprisonment.
The Solingen attack raised an outcry and drew calls for tough action against foreign perpetrators of violent crime in the run-up to Germany's February election, won by the conservatives under migration hardliner Friedrich Merz.
His coalition government, which took office earlier this month, has closed Germany's borders to undocumented migrants and vowed to ramp up deportations to Syria and Afghanistan.
(Reporting by Tom Käckenhoff in Duesseldorf and Rachel More in Berlin; editing by Mark Heinrich)
Issa al H is accused of three counts of murder and ten counts of attempted murder, as well as membership in a foreign terrorist organization.
The attack in Solingen resulted in three fatalities and sparked significant public outcry and debate regarding foreign perpetrators of violent crime.
In court, Issa al H admitted guilt and expressed that he had brought heavy guilt upon himself, apologizing to the victims' relatives.
If convicted, Issa al H faces life imprisonment for his actions during the knife attack.
In response to the attack, the new coalition government has closed Germany's borders to undocumented migrants and pledged to increase deportations to Syria and Afghanistan.
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