Trial Opens for Deadly Munich Vehicle Attack
A 25-year-old Afghan national went on trial in Germany on Friday, accused of deliberately driving a car into a crowded street demonstration in Munich last year. The attack resulted in the deaths of a two-year-old girl and her 37-year-old mother, with dozens more injured.
The suspect, identified in court only as Farhad N., faces two counts of murder and 44 counts of attempted murder. Prosecutors allege he acted out of a 'religious motivation' and expected to die during the assault on February 13, 2025.
Details of the February 2025 Attack
According to the charge sheet, Farhad N. intentionally steered his vehicle into a trade union street rally in Munich attended by approximately 1,400 people. The car travelled 75 feet before halting because 'its front wheels lost contact with the ground due to people lying in front of and underneath the car'.
The impact hurled the young mother and her daughter through the air for ten metres. Both sustained severe head injuries and died several days later in hospital. Prosecutors state that after the rampage, Farhad N. uttered the words 'Allahu Akbar' (God is the greatest).
They further claim he 'believed he was obliged to attack and kill randomly selected people in Germany in response to the suffering of Muslims in Islamic countries'. However, investigators do not believe he was part of an established militant group like Islamic State.
Suspect's Background and Broader Context
Farhad N. was born in Kabul and arrived in Germany in 2016 as an unaccompanied teenage asylum seeker. Although his asylum request was later rejected, he was not deported. German media report he found work in security and was heavily involved in fitness training.
This attack was one of several violent incidents linked to migrants that inflamed Germany's immigration debate ahead of a general election in February 2025. Key related events include:
- An Afghan man's fatal knife attack on a kindergarten group in Aschaffenburg in January 2025.
- A deadly car attack on a Magdeburg Christmas market in December 2024, with a Saudi suspect on trial.
- A stabbing spree in Solingen that killed three, linked to Syrian nationals.
The Munich trial is scheduled for 38 days, running until the end of June. The case occurs against a backdrop of political tension, with Conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz vowing to crack down on criminal migrants and increasing deportations to Afghanistan and Syria.
