(4 Jan 2017) A Syrian asylum-seeker went on trial in Germany on Wednesday accused of being a member of the Islamic State group and scouting out Berlin landmarks for a possible attack.
The hearing began two weeks after an attack on a Christmas market in the German capital, in which 12 people were killed and dozens more were injured.
The Islamic State group said one of its members, a 24-year-old Tunisian who was shot dead days later by Italian police, carried out that attack.
Prosecutors don’t believe that Shaas al-M., the 20-year-old defendant now on trial, was involved in the Christmas market attack, but cited it as one reason for allowing the public to observe the trial.
Judges rejected a defence motion to exclude the public due to the defendant’s young age.
His lawyer told the court that al-M. wasn’t a member of IS but of a different group, called Jund ar-Rahman, who had no motivation to carry out attacks in Germany.
After the hearing, defence lawyer Dr. Tarig Elobied said his client’s trial had already been influenced by the Christmas market attack, citing the court’s dismissal of his motion to exclude the public.
The trial is scheduled to continue through April.
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