A Germany-based judge who will hear the appeal of a terrorism case has created controversy with his t-shirt bearing the tughra (signature) of Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II, commonly referred to as Mehmed the Conqueror. According to German media, Manfred Dauster, the head of the Munich State Court, shared his birthday celebration photos from two years ago on social media in July. Dauster's case is centered on Harun P., a 27-year-old German man charged with being a member of "Junud Al-Sham," a terrorist organization fighting in the Syrian civil war. Dauster has not commented about his t-shirt, but his impartiality in the case is in question.
Andrea Titz, the court's spokeswoman, said that the personal photos of judges are not scrutinized and the court is not doubtful about Dauster's impartiality. Titz also said that the court is not considering proposing a recusation until the hearing starts. The indictment on Harun P. states that he was trained in Syria-based camps and involved in an attack on the Aleppo Prison together with 1,600 Islamist extremists equipped with heavy weapons early in February, which helped to set 300 people free. It has also been claimed that Harun P. encouraged members of Junud Al-Sham to kill a 16-year-old girl who was trying to return Germany from Syria.
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