Mannheim: Afghan man sentenced to life imprisonment after knife attack on police officer

A German court has sentenced an Afghan man to life imprisonment for attacking people with a knife at a rally against Islam in Mannheim last year.

The man, identified as Sulaiman A., killed a police officer and injured five other people. The attack took place at the end of May 2024 during an event organized by the organization Pax Europa.

The perpetrator first attacked the speaker and participants before attacking the intervening police officer, who later died from his injuries.

According to the public prosecutor's office, he sympathized with the Islamic State but was charged with murder and five counts of attempted murder—not as a terrorist.

The attacker had been in custody since June 2024 after recovering from injuries he sustained during his arrest.

(reuters, red)