In a shocking turn of events, an Afghan national named Farhad N. has gone on trial in Germany, accused of deliberately driving his car into a crowd of people during a trade union demonstration in Munich last year, resulting in the tragic deaths of a 37-year-old woman and her two-year-old daughter.
The incident occurred on the morning of 13 February 2025, when Farhad N., a 25-year-old man, allegedly drove his BMW Mini into the crowd of approximately 1,400 people who were participating in the street rally. Amel, the woman, and her young daughter Hafsa, who was still in her buggy, were the first to be struck by the vehicle, suffering fatal injuries and being thrown several metres by the force of the impact.
According to prosecutors, Farhad N. is believed to have committed the crime “out of excessive religious motivation.” They allege that he felt obligated to attack and kill randomly selected people in Germany in response to the suffering of Muslims in Islamic countries. Investigators claim that the man shouted “Allahu Akbar” and prayed after the attack.
The trial, which is taking place just a few hundred metres from the scene of the incident, has drawn significant attention. Farhad N., who arrived in Germany as a teenager in 2016, had his asylum request rejected but was granted temporary residency in Munich. He had no previous convictions and was legally employed as a security guard and for security companies.
Despite his legal status, Farhad N. is accused of being influenced by extremist preachers online, although authorities do not believe he was part of any jihadist movement such as Islamic State. At the start of the trial, the defendant hid his face behind a red folder and raised his right index finger, a gesture commonly associated with the belief in one God among Muslims worldwide.
The trial is expected to continue until June, as the court seeks to unravel the motives and circumstances surrounding this tragic incident that has once again thrust the complex issue of immigration and integration in Germany into the spotlight.