Chemnitz attack case to open in special courtroom in Dresden

A Syrian migrant faces charges in a German court in the city of Dresden on Monday for the stabbing of a German man, whose death prompted anti-migrant protests in the eastern city of Chemnitz and sparked a government row.

The accused, named only as Alaa S under German data protection regulations, faces charges of manslaughter, attempted manslaughter and causing serious bodily harm for the August 26 death of a 35-year-old German man, named as Daniel H.

The Syrian asylum-seeker is accused, along with an Iraqi who remains at large, of stabbing their victim during a festival in the city and of injuring two others seriously. He denies the charges.

After the death came to light, the city saw marches against foreigners, including participants from some far-right groups. Some foreign-owned restaurants were attacked.

Those incidents prompted counter-demonstrations by groups demanding more understanding for foreigners.

Before it was over, Chancellor Angela Merkel weighed in to inveigh against groups attacking foreigners but was contradicted by her then-domestic intelligence head, Hans-Georg Maassen. He was eventually fired, but the controversy came amid poor results for Merkel's Christian Democrats in two eastern state elections, setting the stage for her to announce that this would be her last term as chancellor.

The trial will be conducted in a special secure chamber in the Dresden higher regional court originally designed for the trial of a group of terrorists.    (dpa)