An unusual trial is currently occupying the Leipzig District Court. The accused is 60-year-old Fikret A., who allegedly attempted to commit murder in the notorious Eisenbahnstraße. The reason that his alleged victim, Mahdi T., survived the attack appears to be down to chance: a firearm blockade.
According to the indictment, Fikret A. is said to have aimed a Taurus self-loading pistol at the 37-year-old Tunisian shortly after five o'clock on July 4 and pulled the trigger without a shot being fired. Despite two attempts to kill the supposed enemy, Mahdi T. remained unharmed, which according to the investigating authorities was due to the shooter's gun not having the safety off.
The public prosecutor's office has charged the accused with attempted murder with malice aforethought. However, the trial already revealed the complexity of the crime and its background. The 16th criminal division of the regional court had to concede that the characteristic of malice may not be fulfilled based on the results of the investigation to date.
The events underlying the incident appear to be rooted in disputes between entangled interest groups. Defense attorney Curt-Matthias Engel emphasized the importance of including the incidents that could have led to the attack. According to him, incidents a few days earlier in which a Libyan was seriously injured should be taken into account. The defendant Fikret A. himself has so far remained silent about the allegations.
Various sources and investigation results indicate that the incident could be a kind of self-defense act on the part of the defendant. He claims to have been threatened. His lawyer emphasizes that Fikret A. deliberately left the pistol secured in order to merely make a threat.
An informer who provided essential information on the background will not give his testimony in the trial, as the Ministry of the Interior has issued a barring order for his protection.
The trial will continue for at least ten more days, during which attempts will be made to shed light on the alleged murder attempt and its background. However, Fikret A., who is currently in custody, will probably leave the crucial questions that could help clarify the matter unanswered for some time to come.
Meanwhile, Leipzig's Eisenbahnstraße remains true to its reputation as a hotspot for violent crime.
