Germany jails man for life over deadly Munich car-ramming

A German court has sentenced Farhad N., a 25-year-old Afghan national, to life in prison for the murder and attempted murder of individuals during a car attack on a Verdi trade union demonstration in Munich in February 2025. The attack resulted in the deaths of a 37-year-old mother and her two-year-old child, with more than 40 people sustaining injuries.

The court determined that N. deliberately drove his vehicle into the demonstration from behind, causing devastation stretching 12 meters across and 23 meters long. The judge described the scene as a scene of devastation. N. was convicted of two counts of murder, 23 counts of attempted murder, 19 counts of dangerous bodily harm, and three counts of intentional bodily harm, exceeding the federal prosecutors' demands.

The defense had requested a 15-year prison term and psychiatric care for N., but the court's sentence aligns with the prosecution's request. The motives behind the attack were driven by a combination of religious, political factors, loneliness, and diffuse fears, though N. did not provide an explanation during the trial.