A German court in Itzehoe has convicted a 34-year-old man, identified as Ibrahim A., of murder and attempted murder for a fatal stabbing on a train. The incident occurred on Jan. 25, 2023, in Brokstedt, resulting in the death of two teenagers and serious injuries to four other passengers. Ibrahim A., originally from the Gaza Strip, moved to Germany in 2014. A court in Germany convicted a man of murder and sentenced him to life in prison Wednesday for carrying out a fatal stabbing on a train last year.
The state court in Itzehoe convicted the 34-year-old, who has been identified only as Ibrahim A. in line with German privacy rules, of murder and attempted murder. It found that he fatally stabbed two teenagers and wounded another four passengers seriously in the incident in the northern town of Brokstedt before being overpowered by others on board the regional train traveling from Kiel to Hamburg. The Palestinian defendant grew up in the Gaza Strip and came to Germany in 2014.
A psychiatric expert testified during the trial that the defendant had psychotic symptoms and post-traumatic stress disorder, but could be held criminally responsible for his actions. The defense lawyer had called for his client to be moved to a psychiatric institution. Investigators have said the man had a previous criminal record and had been in pretrial custody in another case before being released days ahead of the attack. He had traveled to an appointment with immigration authorities in Kiel and prosecutors have said he appears to have acted out of frustration.
The severity of the case meant that he likely won’t be eligible for release after 15 years as is usually the case in Germany. The motive for the attack remains unknown. The attack on the train sent shockwaves through the small town of Brokstedt and left the community reeling from the senseless violence that claimed the lives of two teenagers and left others seriously injured. The court’s decision to convict Ibrahim A. of murder and attempted murder reflects the seriousness of the crime and the impact it had on the victims and their families.
