Iraqi Suspected of Pushing 16-Year-Old in Front of Freight Train in Germany Claimed to Be Gay on Rejected Asylum Application

The Iraqi suspect accused of fatally pushing 16-year-old Ukrainian refugee Liana K. in front of a freight train in Friedland, Germany, had previously applied for asylum in Lithuania, citing fears of execution in Iraq for allegedly being gay, before later being convicted of sexually assaulting a female.

Muhammed A., 31, first entered the European Union illegally through Lithuania on Aug. 25, 2021. He claimed to be homosexual and insisted he would face the death penalty in Iraq — a common method used by migrants from Middle Eastern countries to stay in Europe and thwart any deportation proceedings, irrespective of whether an asylum request is granted or not. His asylum request was rejected twice.

The Federal Office for Migration in Germany submitted a Dublin application to send him back to Lithuania in October 2022, but multiple legal challenges delayed his return. He alleged he had been raped at an asylum center in Kybartai, Lithuania, and warned of “significant risk of retraumatization” if deported. No evidence of this event, including any formal accusations at the time or charges, has been reported.

In November 2024, Muhammed A. was convicted of an exhibitionistic act after approaching a woman, putting his arm around her, unzipping his pants, and exposing himself. This incident contradicts the homosexuality claims. He was fined 40 daily rates of €15 each. Because the fine fell below 90 daily rates, it did not trigger a criminal record that might have further influenced his immigration status.

Authorities say he repeatedly stalled deportation proceedings. By March of this year, an enforceable deportation order to Lithuania was in place. While serving a 20-day substitute prison sentence in Hannover for failing to pay a fine, immigration authorities applied for deportation detention. However, Hannover District Court rejected it, ruling the risk of absconding was not sufficiently justified.

On Aug. 11, police say he pushed Liana K. with full force against a passing freight train while she was on the phone with her grandfather. Investigators found his DNA on her shoulder. He has since been placed in a psychiatric hospital, claiming to have schizophrenia, sparking concerns that his lawyers may claim he cannot be deemed criminally responsible for his actions.

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt called the case a tragedy that exposes “the dysfunctionality of this system.” He told Welt newspaper: “I don’t understand it either. And I’m angry, too. These are precisely the points that unfortunately demonstrate the dysfunctionality of this system in such an incredibly tragic way.”

Blaming mass immigration for overwhelming German authorities, Dobrindt said: “A country that is overwhelmed by an excessive number of refugees will simply no longer be able to demonstrate systems that function.” He has called for reducing immigration numbers, while stopping short of endorsing the Alternative for Germany’s demands for remigration or a moratorium.

“We have to establish functionality. And the excessive demands must be overcome. But unfortunately, that is still not the case at the moment,” he said.