Trial over planned synagogue attack begins in Germany

The trial of two men suspected of planning an attack on a synagogue, and a third man who helped them, has begun at the district court in the German city of Heilbronn.

Prosecutors allege the two main defendants - aged 25 and 18 - exchanged ideas in online chats about jihad, fighting abroad, and finally an attack on a Jewish institution.

The men are said to have been in contact since November of last year, and their plans came to light in May 2024.

The older of the two men had travelled to Turkey to join Islamist fighters in Syria. The third man, who is also 25 years old, is said to have known about this plan and to have taken him to Stuttgart Airport. However, the journey petered out in Turkey.

On his return to Germany the main defendant began planning an attack with his younger acquaintance, the public prosecutor said. The target was to be a synagogue in Heidelberg or Frankfurt.

The court heard the two were driven by "their radical Islamist ideology and their hatred of people of the Jewish faith".

The 25-year-old is accused of planning a serious act of violence to endanger the state and of conspiring to commit murder. The 18-year-old is on trial for helping to plan the attack and conspiracy to commit murder. The second 25-year-old is in the dock for alleged aiding and abetting.

The case is being heard by the juvenile division of the district court because one defendant, who has both German and Turkish nationality, is only 18 years old. The court must apply adult criminal law to the two 25-year-old Germans.

In a concurrent proceeding the main defendant is charged with attempted manslaughter for allegedly attacking a police officer with a knife during a search of his apartment in May.

The officer was not injured and was able to stop the man by shooting him in the arms and legs.