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Jihadist attacker gets 20 years for murder

Man at court trial
An artist's impression of the Turkish-Swiss suspect at the Federal Criminal Court trial in Bellinzona, canton Ticino, on December 12, 2022. © Ti-press

The Federal Criminal Court has handed down a 20-year prison sentence to a Turkish-Swiss man who stabbed a Portuguese man to death in the western Swiss town of Morges in September 2020.

The 29-year-old supporter of Islamic State (IS) group was found guilty of murder, causing bodily injury, attempted arson, issuing threats, pro-IS propaganda and breach of the anti-drug laws.

During three days of hearings in December, he explained in a confused and contradictory way that his acts were motivated by fascination for IS. Psychiatric experts concluded that his responsibility was diminished because of schizophrenia.

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However, the prosecutor asked in closing arguments for 18 years. The 20-year sentence handed down by the court is the maximum for murder in Switzerland. From this is deducted the 1,307 days that the man has already spent in detention.

The fatal attack took place on September 12, 2020 in a kebab restaurant near Morges train station. The apparently random victim, who died at the scene, lived in the area and worked in a transport and removal company. He was with his girlfriend when the attacker came at them with a knife. After a night on the run, the suspect was arrested the following day by cantonal police.

Swiss prosecutors said the Morges stabbing was part of a planned “Jihadist-motivated attack with the aim of exacting revenge for the victims of the war between the coalition states and the Islamic State (IS)”.

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Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona

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