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Three people were killed in the Aug. 23 attack at a “Festival of
Diversity” marking the 650th anniversary of the city in western
Germany. The Syrian man, who has been identified only as Issa Al
H. in line with German privacy rules, was arrested a day after
the attack.
He is charged with three counts of murder, 10 counts of
attempted murder and membership in a foreign terrorist
organization, the Islamic State group, in the trial at the state
court in Duesseldorf.
There are no formal pleas in the German legal system. However,
the suspect admitted responsibility for the attack in a
statement read by his lawyers, German news agency dpa reported.
“I have brought severe guilt upon myself. I am prepared to
accept the verdict," he said. “I killed innocent people, not
infidels.”
The Solingen incident was one of several deadly attacks in the
months leading up to Germany's national election in February
that involved immigrant suspects, pushing migration to the
forefront of the political agenda in that vote.
It highlighted problems with returning rejected asylum-seekers
to the first country where they entered the European Union, as
is supposed to happen under EU rules. The suspect was supposed
to be deported to Bulgaria in 2023 but reportedly disappeared
for a time and avoided expulsion.
Murder charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison in
Germany.
The Duesseldorf court has scheduled trial sessions until late
September.
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