Criminals or anti-genocide activists? Germany's 'Ulm 5' trial return to court
Key takeaways
- Five activists have gone on trial in Germany following a break-in at the Israeli arms company Elbit Systems in Ulm.
- https://p.dw.com/p/5DFJMSupporters of five activists accused of attacking a German branch of Israeli arms maker demonstrated outside the courthouse Image: Julian Rettig/dpa/picture alliance Advertisement.
- Elbit Systems is one of Israel's largest arms manufacturers with subsidiary factories in several countries.
Why this matters: an international story with cross-border implications worth tracking.
Five activists have gone on trial in Germany following a break-in at the Israeli arms company Elbit Systems in Ulm. Their lawyers intend to argue they were trying to obstruct a genocide.
https://p.dw.com/p/5DFJMSupporters of five activists accused of attacking a German branch of Israeli arms maker demonstrated outside the courthouse Image: Julian Rettig/dpa/picture alliance Advertisement. A trial has begun against five activists accused of attacking a German branch of Israeli arms maker Elbit Systems in September 2025. The first hearing opened in a high-security court in Stuttgart on April 27, but was aborted within minutes after defense attorneys objected to the fact that they were unable to communicate confidentially with their clients.
Elbit Systems is one of Israel's largest arms manufacturers with subsidiary factories in several countries. The company manufactures drones, command-and-control, and telecommunications equipment for several other militaries, including the German Bundeswehr. Germany is Israel's second biggest arms supplier.