The trial of a man accused of stabbing a pregnant Egyptian woman to death in a German court — an attack that outraged Muslims — opened yesterday in the same courthouse, but under much greater security.
The trial start was delayed more than half an hour due to sharply stepped-up security precautions put in place at the same court where the attack had taken place on July 1, after death threats were made against the 31-year-old defendant, identified only as Alexander W, who is accused of having acted out of a fanatical hatred of Muslims.
He stands accused of murder, attempted murder and dangerous bodily harm.
Marwa al-Sherbini, 31, was giving evidence in July against the defendant, who was then charged with defamation for having called her a “terrorist” and “Islamist,” when he attacked her. She died after being stabbed 18 times. Her husband was also injured.
Members of al-Sherbini’s family, including her husband, Elwy Ali Okaz, will act as co-plaintiffs in the trial, as is allowed under German law — allowing them to review evidence, file motions and question witnesses.
Alexander W is a jobless 29-year-old German citizen who was born in Russia and immigrated to Dresden a decade ago.
The July 1 killing of pharmacist al-Sherbini triggered protests in Egypt and Turkey, in large part due to what Muslims regarded as a lack of concern regarding the incident in Germany and the rest of the Western world.
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad highlighted as evidence of Western double standards the contrast between an apparent lack of interest in the story and intense interest in the death of a young Iranian woman during anti-government protests in Tehran.
In their indictment, Dresden prosecutors said the defendant was driven by a “hatred of non-Europeans and Muslims.” If convicted, he could face life in prison.
The defendant had originally taken al-Sherbini to court to challenge a 780 euros (US$1,170) fine for defaming her last year over a dispute on a playground.
He had called Shirbini a “terrorist” after she asked him to stop sitting on a child’s swing so her son could use it, witnesses told police. Shirbini was wearing a headscarf at the time.
Prosecutors say that in the courtroom he turned on al-Sherbini, stabbing her repeatedly with a 18cm kitchen knife in front of her husband, three-year-old son and eight courtroom officials.
Most German courts normally have no security measures and the defendant was able to smuggle the knife into the courtroom.
Okaz tried to intervene to protect his wife and was critically wounded when a security guard shot him in the leg, apparently confusing him for the attacker.
The trial is scheduled to last 11 days.
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