German Court Convicts Palestinian Man of Murder on Train, Sentences Him to Life in Prison
A German court convicted a 34-year-old Palestinian man, identified only as Ibrahim A., of murder and attempted murder for stabbing two teenagers to death and wounding four passengers seriously on a train in Brokstedt, northern Germany, on January 25, 2023.
The defendant, who grew up in the Gaza Strip and came to Germany in 2014, was sentenced to life in prison.
The incident occurred on a train traveling from Kiel to Hamburg.
A psychiatric expert testified during a trial that the defendant had psychotic symptoms and post-traumatic stress disorder, but was still criminally responsible for his actions.
The defense requested the defendant be moved to a psychiatric institution.
The man had a prior criminal record and was previously in pretrial custody in another case before being released just before the attack.
He traveled to an immigration appointment in Kiel, and prosecutors believe he acted out of frustration.
Due to the severity of the case, the defendant is unlikely to be eligible for release after 15 years, which is the usual sentence length in Germany.