Germany abandons inquiry into judge present at Shirbini murder

Dec 30, 2009, 15:20 GMT

Dresden - German prosecutors abandoned the inquiry on Wednesday into the judge presiding over the trial in which Egyptian mother Marwa el-Shirbini was stabbed to death this year (2009).

Both the judge and the president of the court were deemed to have acted correctly during an appeal hearing, in which accused Alex Wiens, 29, pulled out a knife and killed the pregnant 31-year-old.

At the time, Wiens was appealing a fine for racially insulting el-Shirbini. Her husband, who was also attacked at the time, accused the court of insufficient security measures, enabling Wiens to smuggle a knife into the courtroom.

The Dresden authorities disagreed, and said no mistakes had been made during the trial in which the attack took place.

The July 1 killing caused outrage in Egypt. El-Shirbini, a pharmacist who already had a young son, was described a 'scarf martyr' since she wore a headscarf.

Egyptians also criticized the German government for taking a week before issuing an official statement condemning the murder.

Russian-born Wiens, who admitted he hated Muslims and other non- Germans, was convicted on November 11 and jailed for life.