Jena, June 3, 2026 – The Thüringer Generalstaatsanwaltschaft has filed charges against a 66-year-old Iraqi national before the State Security Senate of the Oberlandesgericht Jena. The man is accused of membership in the foreign terrorist organization „Islamic State“ (IS) as well as participation in armed combat and propaganda activities in Iraq.
- Accused: 66-year-old Iraqi
- Main charge: Membership in the „Islamic State“ (IS) from 2014 to at least 2016
- Prosecuting authority: Thüringer Generalstaatsanwaltschaft (based in Jena)
- Competent court: Thüringer Oberlandesgericht Jena (State Security Senate)
- Status: Pre-trial detention since December 2025 (arrest in Nordhausen)
Specific Allegations: Propaganda and Armed Combat
The accused is charged with voluntarily joining IS in Iraq in 2014 and swearing an oath of allegiance to the terrorist organization. He is alleged to have been active in various roles until at least December 2016. According to the investigators’ findings, the man served, among other things, as a senior employee in the media and propaganda department for the so-called „Islamic Police“ of IS in an Iraqi province.
Furthermore, the Iraqi national is alleged to have participated as an active fighter in armed conflicts in northern Iraq. Investigations indicate that he was injured during one of these combat missions. He is also accused of participating in an official IS propaganda video in the summer of 2015, in which he was seen equipped with a weapon of war. In return for his services, he is said to have received financial support from the terrorist organization for himself and his family in the form of regular maintenance payments.
Local Context: Proceedings at the Oberlandesgericht Jena
The man entered Germany in 2017. Following his arrest by the Landeskriminalamt in Nordhausen in early December 2025, he remains in pre-trial detention. Since there is a strong suspicion of a serious crime endangering the state, the Thüringer Generalstaatsanwaltschaft is responsible for filing the indictment. The main proceedings are now to be heard before the State Security Senate of the Thüringer Oberlandesgericht (OLG) in Jena. Until a legally binding conviction, the presumption of innocence applies to the accused.
🏛️ The Thüringer Oberlandesgericht in Jena
The Thüringer Oberlandesgericht (OLG), based in the Jenaer Justizzentrum, is the highest court of ordinary jurisdiction in the Free State of Thüringen. The State Security Senate there is specifically responsible for prominent state security proceedings. These include, among others, indictments for membership in or support of terrorist organizations at home and abroad. The Justizzentrum combines several judicial authorities at a central location in Jena.
Source:
Indictment against suspected IS member in Jena
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