A pro-Hamas demonstration in Zurich, Switzerland, Oct. 28, 2023. Photo: IMAGO/dieBildmanufaktur via Reuters Connect

A Muslim teenager convicted of attempting to murder an Orthodox Jewish man in a terror-inspired stabbing attack in Zurich has been handed a one-year sentence, triggering backlash from Jewish leaders and public figures who say the punishment fails to reflect the severity of the crime.

On Tuesday, a juvenile court in Zurich sentenced the dual Swiss-Tunisian national, who was 15 at the time of the attack, to one year in prison, with the sentence suspended to allow him to undergo therapy at a care facility. The court also acquitted him of charges related to repeated death threats.

“Killing Jews simply because they are Jews is unscrupulous,” the judge said in his ruling.

Because the defendant was 15 when he carried out the attack, the maximum sentence the court could impose under Swiss juvenile law was limited to one year in prison. The Youth Prosecution Service had charged him with multiple offenses, including attempted murder, support for a criminal organization, and incitement to discrimination and hatred.

The defendant, now 17, carried out the attack in March 2024, stabbing a 50-year-old Orthodox Jewish man 17 times shortly after the victim left a local synagogue.

The teenager arrived at the synagogue while livestreaming, though a technical failure meant the recording captured only audio. He can be heard complaining that the synagogue door was locked and saying he would wait for someone to come out. Shortly afterward, he says, “Now I have one,” followed by sounds of running, cries of “Allahu akbar” (“God is great”), and emergency services arriving at the scene.

The assailant stabbed the victim from behind, first targeting his neck and head before attempting to slit his throat. Even though the Jewish man managed to flee several meters into the street, the attacker chased after him and continued stabbing him. The assault ended only when bystanders managed to restrain the teenager. The victim was rushed to the hospital with multiple lung injuries and underwent emergency surgery.

According to prosecutors, the teenager had previously attempted to break into the synagogue with the intention of “killing as many Jews as possible.” Prior to the assault, he had reportedly purchased a butcher’s knife at a Zurich shopping center and searched social media for synagogue prayer times.

Investigators said the defendant became radicalized through online extremist content and had pledged allegiance to the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist group, with police later finding searches for ISIS material, bomb-making instructions, and terrorist tactics on his devices. He told police during the investigation that his goal was to be killed by officers after the attack so he could die as a “martyr” and reach paradise.

During Tuesday’s hearing, however, the defendant refused to answer any questions despite repeated attempts by the judge to learn more about his ties to ISIS and how he planned the attack, repeatedly responding, “No comment.”

Authorities are also considering revoking the attacker’s Swiss citizenship, a move that could open the possibility of deporting him to Tunisia once all legal proceedings are completed.

The court’s decision sparked criticism among local Jewish leaders and public figures, who argued that the sentence does not match the seriousness of an attack motivated by antisemitic and extremist ideology.

Swiss juvenile law prioritizes rehabilitation over punishment, placing strict limits on prison sentences even in severe cases, while allowing courts to keep offenders in a closed educational facility until they turn 25. Swiss lawmakers are now advancing proposals aimed at allowing tougher penalties for minors convicted of terrorist offenses, including longer prison sentences for ideologically motivated attacks.

The attack came amid a surge of antisemitic incidents across Switzerland and the rest of Europe following the invasion of and massacre across southern Israel by the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023.