Inside the Twana H.S. and Asia R.A. Trial #04: Quid Pro Quo?

TRIAL OF TWANA H.S. AND ASIA R.A. 

Higher Regional Court – Munich, Germany    

Trial Monitoring Summary #04   

Hearing Date: June 24, 2025       

CAUTION: Some testimony may include graphic descriptions of torture, rape or other violent acts.    

Note that this summary is not a verbatim transcript of the trial; it is merely an unofficial summary of the proceedings.    

Throughout this summary, [information located in brackets are notes from our trial monitor] and “information placed in quotes are statements made by the witness, judges or counsel.” The names and identifying information of witnesses have been redacted.   

[Note: SJAC provides a summary of the proceedings while redacting certain details to protect witness privacy and to preserve the integrity of the trial.]    

SJAC’s 4th trial monitoring report covers day 5 of the trial of Twana H.S. and Asia R.A. in Munich, Germany. On this day, the Court primarily focused on questioning the witness Mr. Köhler, W3, the local lead police investigator involved in investigating F6, and F7. Mr. Köhler had further conducted two witness interviews with the Accused Asia R.A.

During the session, Mr. Köhler was questioned about his interviews with Asia R.A. and general aspects of F7’s case. Mr. Köhler explained that Asia R.A. had likely visited F7 and her then partner F6 two to three times per month while in Syria. It became apparent that F7’s statements about Twana H.S. and Asia R.A. brought the matters of this current Case to the attention of the investigative authorities and ultimately led to the arrest of the two Accused. Mr. Köhler also outlined a timeline of Twana H.S.’s movements. According to Mr. Köhler, it was likely that Twana H.S. met up with F6 and F7 around April 2015 in Turkey and crossed the border with them, later attending an ISIS training camp with F6. Twana H.S. then relocated to Mosul (Iraq) where he got married (according to Islamic rites) to Asia R.A, later returning to Raqqa (Syria) in 2016 for a year, followed by a six-month stay in or around Mayadin and Al-Bukamal.

Day 5 – June 24, 2025

The proceedings began with Presiding Judge Dr. Stoll explaining that Asia R.A. had been deemed fit to stand trial by a physician. He asked her whether she would consent to release her doctors from their confidentiality obligations to allow a better assessment of her condition, which she agreed to, and reminded her to drink a lot of water.

The witness Mr. Köhler was called in and advised of his rights and duties by Dr. Stoll. Mr. Köhler explained that he was the lead investigator in the case of [redacted name], F6, and [redacted name], F7.

Dr. Stoll asked Mr. Köhler to elaborate what information from the case against F7 might be relevant for the current case. Mr. Köhler explained that the criminal proceedings against F7 had been ongoing since 2015. After the Easter Holidays, the school of F7’s eldest son [redacted name], F17, notified the police because of his unexplained absence. As a result, police entered the apartment of F7 and F6 at the time and found it empty, leading to the conclusion that F6 and F7 left the country for Turkey and Syria. F7 later confirmed her presence in Syria during a phone call. In 2017, F6 and F7 were arrested in Syria by the U.S. military. German Forces were notified in 2019 and F7 was arrested on October 6, 2021 upon arrival at Frankfurt Airport [in Germany].

Dr. Stoll asked Mr. Köhler to tell the Court about the two interviews he had conducted with F7. Mr. Köhler explained that F7 mentioned Asia R.A. and Twana H.S. in a police interview. Köhler said he interviewed Asia R.A. twice: on August 11, 2022 and March 1, 2023. Köhler added that Twana H.S. was interviewed on August 12, 2022 by his colleague.

Dr. Stoll inquired whether Mr. Köhler knew anything about the financial findings in the case concerning F7 and F6, including multiple bank accounts they had allegedly opened and emptied, and specifically any evidence of a financial connection between Twana H.S. and F6 and F7. Mr. Köhler responded that this had been done by his predecessor, Knoll, so he could not say for certain.

Dr. Stoll followed up by asking if Mr. Köhler knew how the two Accused knew F6. According to Mr. Köhler, the two Accused met in 2015 in Iraq and married [note: the Accused married according to Islamic rites. For details please see Trial Report #1], then moved to Syria in 2016, spent one year in Raqqa, and then six months around Al-Bukamal البوكمال/ Al-Mayadin الميادين. Then they left Syria, spent 4-5 months in Turkey, from there went to Greece and then arrived in Stuttgart [in Germany] with false passports. Mr. Köhler recounted that Asia R.A. told him in her statement, that Twana H.S. had met F6 by chance in Raqqa and that the contact between Asia and F7 started because F6 invited Asia and Twana to visit his home.

Dr. Stoll wanted to know the exact names Asia R.A. used in regard to F6 and F7. To this Mr. Köhler answered Umm and Abu [redacted name], F19 since F6’s eldest son F17 was from a previous partner, so the eldest son of F6 and F7 was [redacted name], F19. After being asked again, since a different name appeared in the files, Mr. Köhler explained that F17 had been renamed [redacted name], which is why the two were also referred to as Umm and Abu [redacted name], F17. Mr. Köhler clarified that they had shown Asia R.A. a picture where she recognized F7, and that the name Umm [redacted name] had not come up previously.

Mr. Köhler continued to explain that Asia R.A. had stated that F6 invited both Accused to his home, where Asia met F7 for the first time. Afterwards the two women saw each other two or three times a month for about one to two hours at a time. Köhler recalled from the investigation that they talked about F7’s life in Germany, their respective families and the situation in Syria, more specifically the bombings, water, and electricity. He further recounted that Twana was not present at all visits and when he was the men stayed in a separate room from the women and children, the oldest son F17 could be in both rooms. Mr. Köhler added that Asia knew from Twana that F6 and F7 received money from ISIS. He noted that Asia R.A. answered some questions in an evasive manner.

Dr. Stoll wanted to know if F7 talked about her past. Mr. Köhler said, F7 told him that she could not live out her religious freedom because she could not live according to the Sharia in Germany, and that she was worried at first about going to ISIS but ended up being happy about it.

Dr. Stoll asked multiple follow-up questions about F7 and F6’s living conditions. According to Köhler, F7 and F6 lived close to the [redacted information]. He further explained that F7 lived with her kids, [redacted name], F17, (born 2004), [redacted name], F19, (born 2011), [redacted name], F20, (born 2014), [redacted name], F21, (born 2017 in Raqqa). F7 mostly stayed at home and cooked. According to Mr. Köhler, Asia R.A. stated that F6 and F7 received money from ISIS and that she knew this information from Twana H.S. Mr. Köhler explained that Asia R.A. stated that F7 was her only confidant.

When asked, Mr. Köhler explained that the interview with the interpreter was recorded on an audio track, and only the German translations provided by the interpreter were transcribed. Dr. Stoll asked whether there were any difficulties in understanding. Mr. Köhler said that sometimes the interpreter did not know if Asia R.A. understood the question correctly. Whenever that was the case, the interpreter repeated the question.

Dr. Stoll inquired if Asia R.A. told Mr. Köhler about a hospital. He responded that Asia stated that she and Twana initially lived in an abandoned hospital but later moved. Mr. Köhler believed due to the attacks on Syria.

Dr. Stoll further inquired whether Asia R.A. took her daughter with her when visiting F7. Mr. Köhler confirmed. Dr. Stoll asked why the Accused decided to leave Raqqa. Mr. Köhler answered that the Accused decided to move to Mayadin as the situation in Raqqa got worse. According to Mr. Köhler, they left around 2 or 3 weeks before F6 and F7. The Accused continued to visit F6 and F7 in Mayadin, two to three times.

Dr. Stoll wanted to know how Asia R.A. and F6 communicated. Mr. Köhler recalled that Asia never talked to F6, only to F7, and that the communication between F7 and Asia was in standard Arabic, even though F7 only spoke around 25% of it. When questioned about Asia’s language skills, Mr. Köhler remembered that Asia claimed to speak standard Arabic and “Kurdish”. Dr. Stoll followed up by asking about her English skills, to which Mr. Köhler answered that Asia stated she could only speak yes and no in English. He was then confronted with the written transcript, where Asia claimed that she did not speak English, whereupon Mr. Köhler apologized for remembering incorrectly.

Shifting the focus, Dr. Stoll inquired about photos shown to Asia R.A during her first questioning. Mr. Köhler mentioned that he showed pictures of F7, F17, and F6 and that she recognized F7. Dr. Stoll noted that this recognition was not reflected in the written statement, leading Mr. Köhler to note that he might be confusing the first interview with the second.

The topic of F7’s religious beliefs was also addressed.  Mr. Köhler mentioned that Asia R.A. remembered that F7 was religious, that she prayed, and that this did not change after the move to Mayadin. He added that Asia R.A. also recounted that she herself prayed and was fully veiled. When asked about Asia’s statements about Twana H.S., Mr. Köhler remembered that she explained that Twana had a training from ISIS regarding religion and weapons, but she did not mention what he did with that. Mr. Köhler characterized Asia R.A. as distant overall but also mentioned that the substance of her statement was not particularly outstanding. He said she had tears in her eyes when talking about the bombings, but even that was rather reserved and did not come across as overly dramatic. Towards Twana H.S. she was generally neutral, maybe with a slightly negative connotation.

Then Judge Strafner asked further questions.

Judge Strafner said he wanted to clear up a misunderstanding and asked about the name Asia R.A. used for ISIS. Mr. Köhler noted that Asia R.A. spoke of “group” whenever she meant ISIS. He clarified that she also spoke of Katiba [note: military unit] since she mistakenly thought the police wanted to know in which Katiba F6 had been. Judge Strafner asked if whenever Asia R.A. spoke of “group” in the written statement she meant ISIS, which Köhler confirmed.

Judge Strafner asked what the two Accused could say about F7’s children. Mr. Köhler answered that Asia knew that F7’s eldest son [F17] was not fathered by F6 and she could list all of the names of the children.

Judge Strafner inquired whether anyone talked about weapons. According to Mr. Köhler, Asia R.A. stated that Twana always carried a pistol, but that he threw away his rifle in Iran.

Judge Strafner wanted to know if anyone said anything to Mr. Köhler about how Twana H.S. came to Syria. Mr. Köhler answered that F7 told him that Twana H.S. and F6 met up in Turkey and crossed the border together before joining an ISIS training camp together. Afterwards Twana went to Iraq before he met with F7 again in Raqqa. Judge Strafner read a statement by Asia from the police transcript aloud, where she recalled that Twana said that he came with a family with kids, but that they stayed in Syria. Mr. Köhler confirmed remembering it.

Judge Strafner then asked about any other possible friends of Twana. Mr. Köhler recounted how Asia told him that Twana only had contact with people in the ISIS environment. She named [redacted name], F22, [redacted name], F6, and [redacted name], F23.

Judge Strafner also read a note from Mr. Brückner, F24, who did the financial investigations, about a possible transaction of 500 Euros from Twana H.S. to F6. Mr. Köhler could not comment on this. Inquired about phone records, Mr. Köhler explained that the last phone contact before their respective cell phones left German cell towers was a call between Twana H.S. and F6.

Judge Strafner also asked what F7 had told the police about Twana H.S. Mr. Köhler recalled that F7’s family crossed the border together with a man and that this man accompanied him and F6 to the ISIS training camp. Mr. Köhler explained that the police could not identify the man as Twana H.S. with certainty.

***

15-minute break

***

Following the break, the court-appointed expert in child and adolescent psychiatry, Prof. Freisleder, asked Mr. Köhler to elaborate on his assessment of the relationship between the two Accused. Mr. Köhler explained that he assessed the relationship as neutral, in comparison to other people that talk about their spouses, it appeared as rather negative or cold, but there was nothing concrete that led to a “negative” assessment. Defense Counsel Ewald asked whether her overall impression was more neutral or more emotional. Mr. Köhler recalled that it was rather neutral, as Asia was very reserved and did not talk a lot. Defense Counsel Ewald inquired when exactly F7 left Germany. Mr. Köhler noted  that it was between March 31 and April 1.

Defense Counsel Ameri then turned to Asia R.A.’s interpreter during her questioning. According to Mr. Köhler, Ms. Tschurbani interpreted, but the officer did not know whether she was court certified.

Defense Counsel Ameri also inquired whether the recorded statements were transcribed verbatim, which Mr. Köhler confirmed, and whether Asia’s responses were replayed to her so that she could check for accuracy. Mr. Köhler remarked that he asked Asia, as per standard procedure, whether she wanted to listen back to her answers, which she declined. Asia later signed her transcribed statement.

Upon Mr. Ameri’s question whether there was an ongoing criminal investigation against Asia R.A. during her witness statements, Judge Strafner intervened and said that the question was suggestive, since there were two witness statements, and only the second one took place while there was a criminal investigation against Asia R.A.

Defense Counsel Ameri continued by asking Mr. Köhler how he found out about the current circumstances regarding the two Accused. Mr. Köhler said that it became clear that this might evolve into criminal investigations and proceedings and that they were notified of Twana H.S.’s arrest, but that he only became aware of the subject matter and detailed allegations well after the investigation. Mr. Köhler could not remember when the arrest of Twana H.S. took place. He elaborated on the “detailed allegations,” which he had obtained by reading the indictment by the Federal Public Prosecutor General as he was in charge of monitoring the visits of the Accused [note: Unspecified which Accused]. Mr. Köhler concluded that he did not read anything else about this court case before his testimony.

Defense Counsel Ameri asked how the criminal proceedings regarding F7 were going. Mr. Köhler explained that according to his knowledge they were dismissed in the summer of 2024. Mr. Köhler elaborated that the charges regarding the participation in a foreign terrorist group [Sect. 129, 129a (1), 129b GCC] were dropped due to insufficient evidence and the charges regarding violation of parental duties [Sect. 171 GCC] were dropped because F7 made extensive remarks regarding other persons (Twana H.S., Asia R.A., [redacted name], F25). Defense Counsel Ameri wanted to know whether this was promised to F7 as such. Mr. Köhler recalled that F7 was not given such assurances by the police, and that she gave all statements voluntarily. Mr. Köhler explained upon inquiry that he was the only police who had contact with F7 in her case. However, she may have had contact with other officers making other statements. Köhler recounted that she gave a total of 11 statements and that he cannot say whether they have promised her anything.

Since no further questions were raised, Mr. Köhler was dismissed before the Court read out two dismissal orders regarding the case of F7.

1)      Due to F6 and F7’s ideological affinity towards ISIS, they were strongly suspected of being members in a foreign terrorist organization [Sect. 129, 129b GCC]. F6 was involved in the Salafist scene in Munich, and F7 posted the ISIS logo on Facebook. Both knowingly traveled to ISIS-controlled territory, where F6 was involved in constructing car switches, suicide bomb triggers, and disrupting drones, while F7 stayed home with the children. A strong suspicion against F7 could not be confirmed, as her actions were limited to residing and raising her children in Syria, and there was insufficient evidence to establish membership in ISIS. After six months in pretrial detention, the arrest warrant was lifted.

2)      F7 was suspected of having violated the duty of care and upbringing for persons under 16 years [Sect. 171 GCC], as she exposed her children to life-threatening danger by raising them in Syria and within ISIS ideological environment, thus risking that the upbringing would lead to a criminal lifestyle. The case was dismissed due to the lack of public interest in prosecution, insufficient proof of the severity of guilt, the fact that the acts occurred a long time ago. Moreover, F7’s distancing from ISIS ideology and because she provided statements on multiple persons were considered. Her statements were of great significance and ensured that the matter regarding Twana H.S. and Asia R.A. became known to the investigative authorities, ultimately leading to the execution of arrest warrants.

Following the reading, the Presiding Judge adjourned the session. 

The proceedings were adjourned at 3:52 PM.

The next trial day will be on June 30, 2025, at 9:30 AM.

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