Germany: Lawyers demand judge recusal in Ulm 5 trial after Israeli arms expert barred

A German court has rejected defence applications to hear two expert witnesses in the trial of five activists accused of damaging an Israeli-owned arms factory in Ulm. Their lawyers say the evidence could explain the site’s role in Israel’s war in Gaza and have applied for Judge Kathrin Lauchstadt to recuse herself, alleging bias.

The defendants, known as the “Ulm Five”, were arrested on 8 September and have spent more than a year in pre-trial detention. The defence says they damaged the factory’s Tactical Data Links laboratory, which weapons expert Dr Shir Hever described as supporting military communications and target-sharing; the court concluded the proposed testimony was inadmissible, while saying it had not yet ruled on the team’s other evidence applications.