dpa
Berlin
A former fighter for the terrorist militia Islamic State has been back in a German court since Thursday around nine months after his re-arrest.
The 30-year-old is accused of having planned an “Islamist-motivated attack” on a pro-Israel demonstration last year. According to the prosecution, he intended to drive a lorry into the crowd of participants. His goal, the prosecution alleges, was “to kill as many people as possible whom he deemed as infidels.”
With his hands in his pockets and a broad grin on his face, the 30-year-old German appeared noticeably casual after the bailiffs brought him to his seat in the Duisburg Regional Court in the west of Germany.
He has chosen not to comment on the allegations, nor will there be any information about his background, according to his defence lawyer.
The man joined Islamic State in Iraq and Syria between 2014 and 2016, according to the indictment. During this time, he reportedly received training in handling an assault rifle, participated in guard and monitoring duties, and accompanied Islamic State fighters on combat missions.
Additionally, he registered as a suicide attacker and appeared in Islamic State propaganda videos.
After his return to Germany, the Duisburg native was sentenced by the Higher Regional Court of Düsseldorf in 2017 to five years in juvenile detention. Whether he killed anyone in Iraq or Syria could not be determined at that time. According to the Duisburg Regional Court, he has served this sentence.
