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This is where the incident took place: the intersection of Brandschenkestrasse and Selnaustrasse in Zurich.
BRK News
A 15-year-old is accused of critically injuring an Orthodox Jew with a knife in Zurich in March 2024—according to the indictment, he planned the attack deliberately and intended to kill as many Jews as possible.
In early March 2024, a 50-year-old Orthodox Jew was attacked with a stabbing weapon in Zurich and seriously injured. The incident caused a major stir throughout Switzerland.
The victim suffered life-threatening injuries but survived after being admitted to the hospital. The alleged perpetrator was 15 years old at the time.
He is alleged to have been radicalized online and to have professed allegiance to the “Islamic State.” The presumption of innocence applies, as he has not yet been convicted in a final judgment.
On Wednesday, the indictment was finally made public; it is available to*Blick*. The defendant is alleged to have spent days and weeks planning to “kill as many Jews as possible.” According to the prosecution, he exchanged information online with like-minded individuals about the manufacture of explosives.
Since building a bomb apparently seemed too complicated to him, the teenager opted instead for a knife as his weapon. The day before the attack, he bought a steak knife at the Glattzentrum in Wallisellen, Zurich. He also asked on social media: “At what time do the Jews meet?” His goal was to attack worshippers while they were praying in a synagogue.
On the evening of March 2, the teenager went to a synagogue and tried to enter the building. He livestreamed his actions online. When he was unable to gain entry, he said, according to *Blick*: “Oh, what a bummer. The door is locked. So I’ll just carry out a few operations.”
Shortly afterward, he attacked a 50-year-old man nearby. The defendant attacked his victim from behind and stabbed him multiple times. In total, the man suffered 17 stab wounds, including serious injuries to his head, neck, and lungs. Despite the attack, he initially managed to flee, but the assailant gave chase.
The situation finally escalated on the hood of a waiting car, where passersby intervened and subdued the attacker. The victim subsequently had to undergo emergency surgery.
The incident was broadcast live until the arrest. Even afterward, the accused continued to speak out, repeatedly shouting, “I have to kill all Jews,” as the “Blick” further reports.
In addition to multiple counts of attempted murder, the indictment charges the Swiss-Tunisian man with other offenses. These include, among other things, the distribution of prohibited pornographic content and the possession of videos depicting extreme violence, including executions associated with the terrorist organization ISIS.
The Juvenile Prosecutor’s Office is seeking a one-year prison sentence as well as additional measures, in particular placement in a suitable facility.
