Trial in deadly May knife attack in Germany's Mannheim begins
The trial against a 26-year-old Afghan citizen for a fatal knife attack on the market square of the German city of Mannheim that killed a policeman in May began on Thursday under strict security precautions.
The defendant, identified only as Sulaiman A under German privacy rules, is facing charges of murder and attempted murder as well as lessor alleged crimes.
On Thursday morning, A was led in handcuffs into the tightly secured courtroom at the Higher Regional Court in Stuttgart.
Relatives of the policeman killed in the attack, including his mother, were in the courtroom at the start of proceedings, in addition to a large contingent of reporters.
According to prosecutors, A had expressed sympathies for the Islamic State terrorist group and had decided to commit an attack on alleged "infidels" at a rally in Mannheim called by the anti-Islam activist group Pax Europa (BPE).
Five rally participants were injured in the attack, and 29-year-old policeman Rouven Laur died.
The attacker was shot by another police officer but survived his injuries.
The trial has been scheduled to take place over more than 50 days of proceedings which could stretch until the end of October, according to the court.
The Mannheim attack prompted intense political debate in Germany over migration and security policy.
It has continued to be cited during the current German election campaign as one of several attacks over the past year involving alleged attackers who had arrived in Germany as migrants.
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