Knife attack trial: madness or terror? Psychologists clarify!

Knife attack trial: madness or terror? Psychologists clarify!

On November 5, 2025, the judges in the trial surrounding the Romans-sur-Isère attack dealt with an explosive mixture of mental illness and radical ideas. This case, which stretches back to 2020, is anything but simple. Abdallah Osman Ahmed, a 31-year-old refugee from Sudan, is accused of fatally attacking two people with a knife and injuring four others on April 4, 2020, during the Corona-related exit restrictions. Since then, fundamentally important questions have arisen: Was Ahmed mentally healthy or was his behavior influenced by mental illness and extremist thinking? These questions were particularly criticized and discussed on the eighth day of the trial, where psychologists and psychiatrists took the stand.

The defendant's descriptions of his hallucinations are shocking. According to [Le Monde](https://www.lemonde.fr/societe/article/2025/11/05/au-proces-de-l-attentat-de-romans-sur-isere-le-delicat-debat-entre-psychiatres-sur-la-part-de-la- Folie-et-celle-du-terrorisme-djihadiste_6652378_3224.html) heard Ahmed Voices calling on him to “free” and “save” himself. However, he himself cannot remember the incident. This raises the critical question of the extent to which his judgment was competent or clouded by his psychological state.

The expert opinions

Six psychiatric experts were consulted to clarify the question of guilt. Two of the expert panels found a limitation of judgment, while the third even spoke of a complete reversal. Daniel Zagury, an experienced psychiatrist, explained that Ahmed was suffering from "paranoia-like delirium" characterized by hallucinatory episodes. However, he highlighted that both psychological and ideological factors led to the devastating incident.

Another important point in this process is the concern expressed by the co-plaintiff. Attorney Me Dreyfus fears that a reversal of conviction could result in Ahmed being sent to a psychiatric facility instead of prison. This possibility raises not only legal but also ethical questions, which are being intensively discussed after the attack and during the ongoing trial.

Outlook and continuation of the process

The trial will continue until November 7, 2025, with the co-plaintiffs' lawyers due to make their arguments on Thursday. The ongoing debates about the influence of mental illness, the Islamist motive and the question of guilt are just some of the points that must also be addressed in the coming negotiations. One thing is certain, however: the events in Romans-sur-Isère will continue to cause debate and moments of shock among the public.

Of course, it remains to be seen how the court will decide on this complex matter. Sentinel trials like this are not only a challenge for the judiciary, but also a benchmark for society in dealing with mental illness and extremism.