Duisburg
Investigations against convicted Islamist threats
The police are on duty in a house in Duisburg. photo
© M. Weber/WTVnews UG Essen/dpa
He has already been convicted as an IS terrorist. But did the now 29-year-old really want to take part in an attack? His lawyer assumes that the arrest warrant will soon be lifted.
According to the Düsseldorf public prosecutor’s office, the 29-year-old is under strong suspicion of having agreed to an Islamist-motivated attack on a pro-Israel demonstration. Investigations into the background are ongoing. The suspect is said to have expressed his consent to a chat partner in Syria. The Duisburg district court confirmed the urgent suspicion on Wednesday and issued a corresponding arrest warrant.
If convicted of attempting to commit murder, the Criminal Code provides for 3 to 15 years in prison.
The 29-year-old is no stranger to the security authorities. Years ago, he appeared in various propaganda videos as a martial IS fighter. However, it remained unclear whether he actually took part in fighting in Syria. He is said to have become radicalized in the Herford Salafist scene in 2012.
From September 2013 to spring 2016 he fled to Syria and joined armed IS units there. After his return he was arrested at Frankfurt airport. At the time he confessed and admitted that he had identified with IS. Under the nom de guerre “Osama al-Almani” (Osama, the German), he appeared in videos on the Internet, partly masked, with a Kalashnikov assault rifle and a machete. The Higher Regional Court sentenced him to five years in juvenile detention for his time as an IS terrorist.