Islamist On Trial For Murder Wanted to ‘Punish’ Switzerland

A 29-year-old radical Islamic extremist on trial for the murder of a Portuguese man has admitted to carrying out the attack to “defend the prophet” and “punish” Switzerland.

The 29-year-old Swiss-Turkish dual national is on trial for murdering a 29-year-old Portuguese man at a kebab restaurant in Morges on the 12th of September in 2020, stabbing the victim to death while yelling “Allahu akbar.”

During the trial, which began on Monday, the 29-year-old admitted to the attack, the first fatal Jihadist stabbing in Switzerland, saying he wanted to punish Switzerland for engaging in war against the Islamic State terror group, Basellandschaftliche Zeitung reports.

“I wanted to avenge the prophet. I chose my victim arbitrarily. It had to be an adult – a man,” the accused said but claimed he realised his actions were wrong while in prison following his arrest and stated, “I am very sorry – today I am sad for the family of the victim.”

A cell of jihadists based in Geneva plotted to bomb cisterns full of oil near the city’s airport in a major terror attack. https://t.co/KFFigy7R16

— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) February 15, 2020

The 29-year-old was already well-known to Swiss authorities prior to the murder, having been arrested and jailed between April 2019 and July 2020 for plotting to blow up a gas station in the town of Prilly. The murder took place just two months after this release.

The Federal Prosecutor’s Office has charged the dual national, who said he supported the existence of a caliphate, with several offences, including murder, attempted murder, attempted arson, and violations of laws banning membership of al-Qaeda and the Islamic State terror group.

The trial is expected to last just three days but a judgement in the case is not expected until January.

Radical Islam remains a major security issue in Switzerland. In 2020, a cell of jihadists based in Geneva who plotted a major terrorist attack, planning to bomb oil tanks at the city’s international airport were arrested by police.

The members of the cell were said to have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State terror group and two had met Islamic State members in Syria in 2015, where they had received weapons training.

Follow Chris Tomlinson on Twitter at @TomlinsonCJ or email at ctomlinson(at)breitbart.com.