German court convicts a Palestinian man of murder over a fatal stabbing on a train last year

A court in Germany has convicted a man of murder and sentenced him to life in prison for carrying out a fatal stabbing on a train last year

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 Palestinian, who has been identified only as Ibrahim A. in line with German privacy rules, of murder and attempted murder, German news agency dpa reported.

It found that he fatally stabbed two teenagers and wounded another four passengers seriously in the Jan. 25, 2023 incident in the northern town of Brokstedt, before being overpowered by others on board the regional train traveling from Kiel to Hamburg.

The 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.