The trial of a Syrian migrant accused of stabbing a 4-year-old girl in a German supermarket earlier this year began on Wednesday in a case that exposes the flaws in Europe’s open borders and offers a stark contrast between Western hospitality and the stricter deportation policies of Saudi Arabia.
Mohamed S. (34), a Syrian-born man with Dutch citizenship, is standing trial in Ravensburg, Germany, for the unprovoked attack on a minor on April 4, 2024, in a small town in Bavaria’s Allgäu region.
While standing in a supermarket with her mother, little Manuela (name changed) was set upon by Mohamed S. who stabbed her four times with a 20-centimeter kitchen knife.
The child’s stomach and intestines were severely injured, requiring emergency surgery to save her life.
The trial has raised serious concerns about the security vulnerabilities in Europe.
The court heard how Mohamed S. fled Syria via Turkey in 2015 and traveled the Balkan migratory route before entering Europe illegally and eventually being granted asylum in the Netherlands. By 2021, he had been granted Dutch citizenship, allowing him to move freely across the European Union.
In 2022, the Syrian national traveled to Saudi Arabia, seeking to stay there after obtaining a tourist visa. However, he was soon homeless, living in mosques, which resulted in altercations and his subsequent imprisonment.
Saudi Arabia, known for its strict immigration enforcement, deported Mohamed S. within two months back to the Netherlands. However, he traveled across the border to the German town of Wangen where he lived in homeless shelters and an asylum center before committing the heinous crime.
Prosecutors revealed that Mohamed S. claimed to have been “following divine inspiration” during the attack. Chief Public Prosecutor Christine Weiß suspects that Mohamed suffers from severe schizophrenia, raising concerns about his mental health and the adequacy of monitoring in the asylum system.
Manuela’s mother tearfully recounted the horror in court, describing how her daughter has been scarred for life—both physically and emotionally.
“My daughter has a long scar from her breastbone down to her stomach,” the mother testified. Since the attack, the child has developed a profound fear of men, crying uncontrollably when in their presence.
Manuela spent three weeks in the hospital recovering from the life-threatening injuries.
The trial against Mohamed S. continues with a verdict expected on Oct. 23, 2024.