Trial in Düsseldorf: Suspected knife attacker confesses to terrorist attack

Trial in Düsseldorf: Suspected knife attacker confesses to terrorist attack

On May 29, 2025, the trial began in Düsseldorf against Issa al H., a Syrian citizen who is accused of carrying out an Islamist terrorist attack in Solingen in which three people were killed and eight others injured in August 2024. The defendant confessed to the crime in a statement from his defense attorneys and said: "I have taken on serious guilt. I am ready to accept the verdict." ZVW reports.

The federal prosecutor's office accuses Issa al H. of three counts of murder and ten counts of attempted murder. A 56-year-old man, a 67-year-old man and a 56-year-old woman lost their lives in the brutal knife attack that took place during a city festival. Eight other people were also injured, while two people narrowly survived the attack. The trial promises comprehensive insights into the background of the attacker, who swore loyalty to the Islamic State (IS) in a video shortly before the attack and viewed the attack as “retaliation” for Western military actions in Syria and the Palestinian territories , as the Tagesschau reports.

MTerre behind the actions

Issa al H. said that he was influenced by IS operatives when selecting the murder weapon. A psychiatric expert reported that he saw himself as a victim and not as a radical Islamist. The defendant was traumatized by images of killed Palestinian children and decided to carry out the alleged “revenge” through an attack in Germany. What was particularly disturbing was that al H. usually attacked his victims from behind and shouted “Allahu akbar” during the attack.

The trial takes place in the high-security wing of the Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court and is associated with great expectations. 22 days of trial are scheduled and over 50 witnesses and several experts are expected. If the defendant is convicted, he could face a life sentence followed by preventive detention. The independent investigation that discusses the political consequences of such attacks could provide crucial insight into the defendant's motivation and environment.

Political and social implications

The case has sparked a lively political discussion about deportations and internal security in Germany. The defendant could not be found for a planned deportation to Bulgaria in 2023, which raises questions about the effectiveness of the German security authorities. After recent incidents, especially since the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023, the threat of Islamist terrorism in Germany has increased, as reports from the Office for the Protection of the Constitution show. Salafist extremism is particularly dominant, with over 10,500 people in this movement, and it was found that around 40% of the IS supporters who left the country are now back in Germany , which further exacerbates the threat situation.