German ex-soldier who took hostages makes trial confession

A former German soldier who took hostages using a fake weapon in January and was shot by police in a cafe began trial with a confession on Monday, the German news agency DPA reported.

The 44-year-old apologized in court through his defense lawyer, who said he hadn't intended to hurt anyone and wanted to commit suicide.

The man threatened hostages in the cafe in the southern German city of Ulm with a fake weapon that appeared real on January 26. Officers from a special police unit shot him in the face and upper body when he stepped outside about an hour and a half into the standoff, though he survived.

At the time, police assumed the perpetrator was armed and posed a considerable danger, the public prosecutor said shortly after the standoff had come to an end.

Hostages unharmed in the ordeal

None of the hostages were physically harmed and the suspect has remained in custody ever since the crime took place earlier this year.

The defendant is believed to have serious mental health issues which could reduce his culpability and therefore his punishment. A court-ordered commitment to a psychiatric hospital is one possible outcome.

He is charged with coercion, among other things, and a verdict could be reached by the middle of October.

jsi/rm (dpa)