A German court's life sentence for the murder of a police officer during a knife attack in Mannheim has become final after no appeals were filed within the required timeframe. The Stuttgart Higher Regional Court announced Wednesday that all parties involved accepted the verdict against 26-year-old Afghan national Sulaiman A., making the judgment legally binding. The defendant was convicted for the fatal stabbing of police officer Rouven Laur during an attack that occurred in spring 2024.

The attack took place on May 31, 2024, shortly before European elections, when Sulaiman A. targeted a rally organized by the Islam-critical organization Bürgerbewegung Pax Europa (BPE) at Mannheim's market square. According to court findings, the assailant intended to kill the main speaker, Islam critic Michael Stürzenberger, while also aiming to kill as many people as possible. The court determined that A. specifically intended to kill police officers as representatives of the German state.

In addition to the murder conviction, Sulaiman A. was found guilty of four counts of attempted murder and dangerous bodily harm for attacking six people total during the incident. The court established the "particular severity of guilt," which effectively prevents early release from the life sentence. The defendant, who was shot during the attack but survived, had expressed his desire to die as a martyr according to court documents.

The case sparked significant political debate about migration policy ahead of European elections, with court proceedings revealing that A. had radicalized over several years through social media chats and identified with the Islamic State terrorist organization. During the trial, the defendant admitted to the crimes but claimed he had been manipulated. With the verdict now final, the legal proceedings conclude nearly sixteen months after the attack that resulted in Officer Laur's death.