Stuttgart prosecutors escalate charges against 'Ulm Five' activists in Elbit raid trial

The trial of five European activists, collectively known as the 'Ulm Five', is scheduled to commence in Stuttgart. The defendants face prosecution charges stemming from a raid on an Elbit Systems factory in Ulm on 8 September 2025. The Office of the Chief Prosecutor of Stuttgart has intensified its legal approach, increasing the estimated value of property damage from 200,000 euros to more than one million euros. This revised valuation accounts for red paint applied to the building, destroyed computers, and damaged sanitation facilities.

Central to the prosecution's case is the application of Section 129, a statute typically reserved for terrorists and organised crime groups. Authorities argue that the activists are members of the proscribed group Palestine Action Germany. The indictment further alleges the use of symbols associated with unconstitutional groups and cites anti-Semitic motivations as a driving factor behind the raid. A higher administrative court ruling suggests that a prison sentence of more than two years is likely given the severity of these charges.

The defence team contends that the pretrial detention order was unlawful from the outset. Benjamin Dusberg, lawyer for Daniel Tatlow-Devally, asserts there was no flight risk, noting that the activists waited at the scene for police arrival despite having the opportunity to flee. The group, comprising citizens of Ireland, Britain, Spain, and Germany, denies all charges. They characterise their actions as civil disobedience aimed at halting violations of international law and state that no individuals were injured during the incident.

Conditions in high-security detention have drawn significant scrutiny. The activists have been held in isolation for over seven months, spending up to 23 hours a day in solitary confinement with monitored communications. Legal documents indicate that Daniel Tatlow-Devally was initially denied access to books by authors such as Nelson Mandela, a restriction later overturned by a court. His mother has described the lack of physical contact with another human being for five months as feeling like torture.

The Interior Ministry of Baden-Wurttemberg has stated that graffiti found at the scene suggests a political motive. However, the ministry cited Palestine Action's listing as a terrorist organisation in the United Kingdom to support its stance. This reference ignores a British High Court ruling in February 2026 which deemed that designation disproportionate and unlawful. Amnesty International has highlighted significant human rights and rule-of-law concerns, warning that prosecuting political protest under this statute equates legitimate civil society engagement with organised crime.

The trial is expected to conclude in July. The venue in Stuttgart-Stammheim holds historical weight, having been the site of convictions for members of the far-left Red Army Faction in the 1970s. Elbit Systems declined to comment on the matter, while the prosecution maintains that an assessment of the evidence regarding anti-Semitic intent will occur once presented at trial.