Trial opens in case of German teen who attacked school

Trial opens in German school attack case

BERLIN — A German teenager standing trial for attacking his high school with an ax, knives and molotov cocktails said Thursday he did not feel any compassion for his victims.

Nine students were injured when the 19-year-old former student attacked the school last year. The trial on 47 counts of attempted murder at a court in the Bavarian town of Ansbach is closed to the public and his identity has not been disclosed because of his age.

The teen, who also faces charges of severe assault, attempted grave arson and attempted manslaughter of two police officers for the attack on September 17, 2009 in Ansbach, gave a written confession presented by his lawyer at the beginning of the session, court spokesman Thomas Koch told the German news agency DAPD.

If convicted on all charges, he could face up to ten years in prison.

The assailant did not see his fellow students as human beings and also did not feel that he himself was worth living, according to Koch. He also said that he did not intend to get out of the school building alive and that he wanted the police to shoot him, after he failed to kill himself with a knife and swallowing tobacco during his attack.

Police halted the attack by shooting the assailant. The teen denied that he wanted to kill the officers, even though he attacked them with a knife.

According to his written statement, the young man felt rejected by his peers when he was in kindergarten and elementary school.

When he was in ninth grade, he initially wanted to commit suicide, but he later decided to kill others at the same time.

Officials have said they found documents on his laptop showing the teen was motivated by “hatred for humanity” and had planned the assault for months.

According to an expert’s evaluation, the teen is suffering from a severe personality order. In January, he was placed in a psychiatric ward.

A verdict is expected April 29.