16-Year-Old Attacked

Attempted Murder Trial: “Mogli Was Extremely Lucky”

The defendant (left) has been in pretrial detention since the incident.(Bild: Andrea Kloimstein, Krone KREATIV)

A 23-year-old Lebanese man appeared in court on Wednesday at the Linz Regional Court to face charges of attempted murder. He is accused of stabbing a 16-year-old multiple times with a knife during an altercation outside an asylum shelter in December of last year. In court, he claimed self-defense. 

“The victim was incredibly lucky. The fact that he’s still alive is thanks to the doctors’ skill,” said the prosecutor, describing the injuries sustained by the 16-year-old Iraqi, whom everyone calls Mogli. When the boy was admitted to the hospital on December 17, 2025, following an altercation, he had multiple stab wounds to his left upper body and two to his head. Emergency surgery saved the 16-year-old’s life.

Three Girls as Guests
But first, the background: On that day, three girls and a friend were reportedly visiting the defendant’s (23) apartment in an asylum shelter in Leonding. Alcohol was consumed there, and the 23-year-old also used drugs. That evening, the girls called a friend because they wanted to be picked up.

Took a knife
A verbal altercation between the friend and the defendant reportedly broke out during this video call. When three men arrived by car in front of the shelter around 8:30 p.m., the Lebanese man was already waiting for them outside the building. He was carrying a dagger-like knife in his waistband, which had previously been hung up in his apartment as a decoration.

I was out of it; I didn’t know what I was doing.

Der Angeklagte vor Gericht

Contradictory Statements
There are two different accounts of how the rest of the evening unfolded. The defendant claims that the 16-year-old victim knocked him to the ground with a punch. From there, he stabbed the victim once with the knife in self-defense. He said he couldn’t remember the details: “I wasn’t in my right mind; I didn’t know what I was doing.” He said he had taken the knife with him “out of fear of the visitors” and because he had expected an argument.

Second Person Injured
Witnesses and the victim, however, testified that the victim and the defendant had both fallen to the ground during a scuffle. The defendant then allegedly drew his dagger and stabbed the 16-year-old multiple times. One person present is said to have thrown himself over the boy to protect him and was also injured.

Weapon missing
“Why is your friend lying?” the judge asked the defendant in light of the conflicting statements. “I don’t know,” came the reply. After the attack, the 23-year-old reportedly returned to his residence, where, according to his own account, he was disarmed by his roommates—but there is still no trace of the knife, which was about 20 centimeters long.

He has suffered from an anxiety disorder ever since and is ashamed of the long scar on his chest.

Vertreterin über das Opfer

Victim Seeks Compensation for Pain and Suffering
The victim has joined the trial with a claim for compensation for pain and suffering. “He has suffered from an anxiety disorder ever since and is ashamed of his long scar on his chest,” his representative explained. As she spoke about the consequences of the attack, the 16-year-old’s brother, who was present, broke down in tears.

Verdict on Friday
Numerous witnesses and experts are scheduled to testify over the course of two days of trial. A verdict is expected on Friday evening. If convicted, the defendant faces ten to twenty years in prison or life imprisonment.