Jena, July 9, 2026 – The main trial against a suspected former member of the foreign terrorist organization “Islamic State” (IS) is set to begin at the Thuringian Higher Regional Court (OLG) in Jena at the end of the month. The 3rd Criminal Senate has admitted the indictment filed by the Thuringian Public Prosecutor General’s Office.
- Proceedings: Criminal trial on suspicion of membership in a terrorist organization abroad
- Court: Thuringian Higher Regional Court (OLG) Jena
- Defendant: Iraqi national, born in 1960
- Status: In pre-trial detention since December 2025
Key data of the proceedings at the Higher Regional Court
The Thuringian Higher Regional Court has defined a tight schedule and the specific subject of the indictment for the upcoming trial:
- Start of trial: Tuesday, July 28, 2026
- Duration: The OLG has initially scheduled 13 trial days until the end of October 2026.
- Charges: The man is accused of voluntarily joining the IS in Iraq in September 2014 and swearing allegiance to its leader at the time. He is alleged to have worked for the organization in various capacities until 2016, particularly in the areas of media and propaganda, as well as serving as an armed fighter.
Details on the indictment and arrest
According to the investigating authorities, the defendant was active as a senior employee in the IS media department and was involved in the dissemination of propaganda material. Following a severe combat injury, he is also alleged to have taken on tasks within the so-called “Islamic Police” of the terrorist militia between August 2015 and December 2016 and to have continued participating in military conflicts. He is said to have regularly received a salary and financial support for his family for his activities.
The accused left Iraq in the second half of 2017. After a long flight, he was finally arrested in Nordhausen in December of last year. While the police in Thuringia are often occupied with regional offenses in their daily work, such as a recent threat at Engelplatz, the Jena Higher Regional Court is now handling a case of international significance with these state security proceedings.
Source:
Mutmaßliches IS-Mitglied ab Ende Juli vor Gericht in Jena
Transparency note: This article was created automatically, editorially reviewed, and expanded with AI support.