The suspect in the attack in Solingen, Germany, last summer pleaded guilty on Tuesday. On the first day of his trial, the 27-year-old Issa Al H. said he would accept his punishment.
Al H. is held responsible for a knife attack on August 23. He stabbed people during a large festival held to celebrate the 650th anniversary of Solingen. Three people were killed. Eight others were injured, one seriously.
“I committed a serious crime,” Al H. said on Tuesday through his lawyers. According to a statement, he is said to be aware that he killed innocent people instead of “infidels.”
The attack in Solingen, combined with several other incidents elsewhere in Germany, sparked a public discussion in the country about refugees and security in the run-up to the elections.
According to EU rules, Al H. should have been deported to Bulgaria in 2023, where he initially applied for asylum. But the authorities could not find him in the refugee shelter at the time.
Al H. is also accused of having ties to the terrorist movement Islamic State (IS). The suspect remained silent about this in court today, broadcaster WDR reports.
According to prosecutors, Al H. had been under the spell of IS for a number of years. He is said to have renounced Western norms and values. He is said to have become radicalized around the start of the Israeli ground offensive in Gaza. Al H. reportedly had contact with IS figures via Telegram. He is said to have sworn allegiance to the terrorist movement and received tips for his act.
There are 21 more court days scheduled for the coming weeks. Approximately fifty witnesses will be heard. The verdict will follow on September 24.