Germany: Trial opens for Afghan who stabbed children

Thursday 16 October 2025 - 14:25

By: Sahili Aya

Germany: Trial opens for Afghan who stabbed children

The trial of a 28-year-old Afghan, who stabbed a group of children in Aschaffenburg, Bavaria, killing a child and an adult, opened on Thursday, eight months after the attack.

During six days of hearings running until October 30, debates will focus on the mental state of Enamullah O., whose psychiatric evaluation concluded he is not criminally responsible due to mental illness. Instead of a conventional criminal trial, the court has ordered a security procedure, which could result in his permanent confinement in a psychiatric facility. The prosecution requested permanent internment.

The attack, which occurred during an election campaign, shocked the German public, intensified immigration debates, and fueled far-right rhetoric. Enamullah O. should have been deported to Bulgaria, his country of EU entry, in 2023 under the Dublin Regulation.

Incident Details: On January 22, 2025, two kindergarten teachers were walking five children in a collective stroller in a park when Enamullah O. attacked them. A two-year-old boy of Moroccan origin and a 41-year-old man were killed. Another girl of the same age was seriously injured, and several adults were attacked. The assailant fled but was arrested shortly after. Investigators found no political or religious motive, pointing instead to his mental health.

The attack reignited Germany’s immigration debate. Alice Weidel of the AfD demanded “Remigration now!,” calling for mass expulsions of foreigners. Conservative leader Friedrich Merz faced criticism for attempting a joint immigration law initiative with the far-right, which sparked widespread protests. Since becoming Chancellor, Merz has adopted a hardline immigration stance to counter the AfD’s rise in polls.