The Criminal Chamber of the District Court of and in Luxembourg delivered on 27 November 2025 a judgment in the criminal case concerning a terrorism matter involving a young man of Swedish nationality who was residing in Luxembourg at the time of the events. Most of the alleged acts occurred while he was a minor; only a small portion occurred after he became an adult.
Under this judgment, the defendant was sentenced to a term of eight (8) years’ imprisonment, of which two (2) years are to be served in custody. For the remaining six (6) years, the defendant was placed under a probationary sentence, under which he is required, for a period of five (5) years, to participate in a specific deradicalisation programme administered by a specialised organisation.
The investigation originated from the State Intelligence Service (SRE), which informed the Luxembourg Public Prosecutor’s Office of different elements of information in its possession. The anti-terrorism unit of the Luxembourg Public Prosecutor’s Office then initiated the necessary police operations through the Anti-Terrorism Service (SAT) of the Judicial Police, supported by the special unit of the Grand Ducal Police, in order to intervene and conduct investigations. Those led to searches during which explosives and explosive precursors were discovered. The defendant was arrested during these operations and was placed for a period of a little over eight months in pre-trial detention. This procedure ultimately led to a trial that took place over two weeks in July 2025 before the Criminal Chamber of the District Court in Luxembourg.
The defendant was accused of being a member of terrorist groups aligned with the ideology of white supremacism. These groups were active internationally, and the defendant was alleged to have played an active role in them.
The criminal file also concerns a series of planned attacks targeting various possible locations, both on Luxembourg soil and abroad, for which he was accused of having already carried out certain preparatory acts, going beyond mere information gathering.
In its judgment of 27 November 2025, the Criminal Chamber found the defendant guilty of the following offenses:
- Participation in a terrorist group and having acted as a leader of such a group (Article 135-4 of the Penal Code)
- Incitement to terrorism (Articles 135-11(1) and 135-11(2) of the Penal Code)
- Recruitment for terrorism (Articles 135-12(1)a and 135-12(1)b of the Penal Code)
- Commission of acts of terrorist training (Article 135-13 of the Penal Code)
- Preparation of acts of terrorism (Article 135-14 of the Penal Code)
- Offences under the amended Law of 15 March 1983 on weapons and ammunition
- Offences under the Law of 5 May 2017 concerning certain provisions for the implementation and sanctions of Regulation (EU) No 98/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 January 2013 on the marketing and use of explosive precursors
- Offences under the amended Law of 10 June 1999 relating to classified establishments
- Incitement to hatred (Article 457-1(3) of the Penal Code)
The judgment of the Criminal Chamber may be appealed within forty (40) days from the date of pronouncement.
To consult the French version: Communiqué de presse dans une affaire de terrorisme