Charges brought against man over attack on Israeli consulate in Munich

A 24-year-old man is facing charges in connection with a stone-throwing attack on the Israeli consulate general in Munich that triggered a major police operation in March.

The suspect faces charges of disturbing the public peace, criminal damage and a serious assault on police officers, the Munich General Prosecutor's Office said on Wednesday.

Investigators believe the man holds what they described as entrenched anti-Israel views.

The Munich Regional Court is set to decide whether to admit the charges, and the presumption of innocence applies until a conviction.

The 24-year-old suspect allegedly threw fist-sized stones at the facade of the building in March, then put down his rucksack and shouted "Allahu Akbar" - Arabic for "God is greatest".

Investigators believe the man intended to signal to police officers who had rushed to the scene that he wanted to trigger a deadly bomb attack.

Only after an examination by specialists were officers able to rule out that the rucksack and its contents posed a danger. A robot was also deployed to X-ray the item.

At the time of his arrest, the man also kicked out at officers and headbutted them, the General Prosecutor's Office said. The officers were not injured.

The 24-year-old was initially taken to hospital due to an acute risk to himself and others, and he was then held on remand in prison, according to prosecutors. 

However, following an expert assessment, the man was found to be of diminished criminal responsibility. He has therefore been placed in a hospital again for the time being, the prosecuting authority said.