Berliner on trial for joining Hezbollah following October 7 attacks
The trial of a German man accused of joining Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia following the October 7 attacks on Israel began in Berlin on Tuesday.
Prosecutors say the 30-year-old defendant decided to join Hezbollah after the Hamas-led attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023.
He is said to have travelled to Lebanon later that year where he received weapons training and took part in combat operations in the border area with Israel and Syria.
He is also accused of posting Hezbollah propaganda on social media, glorifying the Iran-backed group.
On the first day of proceedings, the defendant rejected all accusations against him, including membership of a terrorist organization.
His lawyer told the Berlin Higher Regional Court that his client had travelled to Lebanon and Syria several times between the end of 2023 and April 2025 for private reasons.
During those visits, the man spent time with his cousins, got a haircut, went bowling, took a trip to the zoo and to the funfair, and smoked joints.
He also visited a shooting range, but “purely as a leisure activity,” the lawyer said.
The defendant has a criminal record that includes various drug offences and has served several years in prison.
He was arrested at a flat in Berlin’s Neukölln neighbourhood on April 15 and has since been remanded in custody.
The court has scheduled a total of 13 trial dates until March 10.
