German on trial for Muslim murder

Dresden, Germany, 26 Oct-(ANA)-The trial of a man accused of stabbing a pregnant Egyptian woman to death inside a German courtroom has begun in the city of Dresden.

The defendant, 28-year-old Alex W, had earlier been fined for calling Marwa Sherbini "a terrorist" and "Islamist".

The defendant is alleged to have smuggled a kitchen knife into an appeal hearing where he killed Ms Sherbini.

The attack in July sparked outrage in the Muslim world, with protests in Egypt, Iran and Turkey.

The defendant is accused of murder, attempted murder and dangerous bodily harm.

Security is tight for the trial, with 200 police securing the courthouse and bullet-proof glass installed in the courtroom.

It had begun with an argument in a playground in 2008.

Ms Sherbini, a pharmacist, is said to have asked the defendant to let her child use a playground swing he was sitting on.

He allegedly refused and instead called her abusive names.

Ms Sherbini took the defendant to court and he was fined 780 euros ($1,170; £718) for defamation.

But when he returned to court for the appeal on 1 July this year, prosecutors say he smuggled a seven-inch (18cm) kitchen knife into the courtroom and stabbed Ms Sherbini at least 16 times with it.

The young woman, who was pregnant, bled to death.

Ms Sherbini's three-year-old son was with the family in court when she was killed.

Her husband Elwy Ali Okaz was stabbed as he tried to protect his wife.

He was also accidentally shot by German police who initially believed him to be the attacker.

Prosecutors say the Russian-born defendant was motivated by a "hatred of non-Europeans and Muslims".

He reportedly suffers from depression, however court-appointed psychiatric experts have said they have not found any evidence of diminished responsibility, the AFP news agency reported.

Muslim leaders accused Germany of Islamophobia and German officials of being far too slow to react to the killing.

The Egyptian government has hired lawyers for Ms Sherbini's family and has called for a life sentence if the defendant is convicted - the maximum penalty possible. (ANA)

FA/ANA/26 October 2009---