Trial against the stabber from Lugano

The main hearing against the 29-year-old from Ticino, who attacked two women with a knife at Grandi Magazzini Manor Sud SA in Lugano on November 24, 2020 and in some cases seriously injured them, began in Bellinzona in the morning. The federal prosecutor assumes a terrorist motive.

Defendant appears veiled

The accused appeared at the start of the trial dressed all in black and initially refused to remove her head veil, as requested by the presiding federal criminal judge, Fiorenza Bergomi. She is a Muslim and the court should respect that, she explained. Only after consulting her defense attorneys did she remove the head veil.

The Ticino woman is accused of multiple attempted murders, violating Art. 2 of the federal law prohibiting the groups “Al-Qaeda” and “Islamic State” and related organizations and illegal practice of prostitution, according to Article 199 of the Criminal Code.

Serious mental problems

During the interrogation of the accused, the picture emerged of a young woman who has slipped from one catastrophe to the next in her life and is suffering from serious psychological problems. Up to the age of seven she was plagued by epileptic seizures, later she suffered from anorexia. She attended a special school.

She became pregnant when she was 17. She became a mother when she was almost of age, but her parents adopted the child. She married the child’s father, an Afghan national. The marriage was initially quiet. Later, the man is said to have beaten his wife and also sexually abused her, as she explained in court. She then filed for divorce. Because of her psychological problems, she was often treated, received social assistance, and later she was 100 percent recognized by the IV.

Love for a Syrian fighter

In the late morning she explained to the court how she approached Islam and fell in love with a Syrian fighter. The video calls with the man could last several hours, according to the defendants.

The trial will continue in the afternoon.