Title: Two Brothers and a Shocking Islamist Attack Plot
Although the details were sketchy, the concept was chilling: a 29-year-old individual harbored a desire to cause mass casualties at a Swedish church using an explosive belt. This horrifying scenario was punctuated by a second bomb set to detonate right after the initial explosion, presumably orchestrated by his younger brother.
The senior judge, Norbert Sakuth, described this potential attack as "particularly reprehensible," during the trial at the Higher Regional Court in Hamburg on Tuesday. The 29-year-old Syrian man was convicted of preparing a serious act of violence threatening the state and financing terrorism, and was sentenced to four years and nine months in prison. His 24-year-old brother, residing in the Allgäu region of Bavaria, received a suspended one-year prison sentence for assisting in the financing of terrorism, with the verdict yet to become final.
Background: Revenge for Koran Burnings
The court was convinced that the older man had decided to carry out an attack using an explosive belt by the spring of the year at the latest. He had procured various materials, such as urea fertilizer and citric acid, for the production of the device. The intended targets for the attack ranged from security authorities or places with bars or discos to churches in Sweden, ultimately motivated by the Koran burnings in the Scandinavian country.
The younger brother assisted by helping order the materials, specifically the urea fertilizer, which needed to be resupplemented due to a failed delivery. The brother, who did not subscribe to a jihadist-Islamist worldview, showed minimal participation in the planning process, as determined by the judge.
Brothers' Interaction and Integration
The brothers maintained a chilly demeanor in the courtroom, rarely exchanging a glance. Their disparate backgrounds around their arrival in Germany in 2015 were also highlighted during the trial. While the younger brother had seamlessly integrated into the Allgäu region, mastered the German language, and excelled in academics, the older brother was less successful in his integration efforts.
The lack of integration, coupled with alcohol and drug use that led to the loss of his driving license and employment, drove the older brother to isolate himself and develop a more intense attachment to Islam. As his older brother struggled, the younger was asked by their mother to communicate with him.
The older brother eventually shared his radical Islamist ideologies with his brother, eventually leading to the planned attack.
Slow Progress of the Planned Attack
The court took into account the low value of the ordered materials and the partially confessed plans when handing down sentences. The older brother's confession and the limited advancement of the attack were considered mitigating factors, while the fact that he had involved his brother and the nature of the planned attack increased the severity of the charges.
The younger brother's partial sentence reflected his limited role in the attack planning and the low-value materials purchased.
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