Arid Uka - Sentenced

Arid Uka sentenced to life - Source Photo

Germany - A life sentence was handed down to a man who confessed to killing two US soldiers at the Frankfurt airport in what has been called Germany’s first deadly jihadist attack. 

The 22 year old Arid Uka,  from Kosovo,  has been convicted for the killing of two US soldiers and wounding two others when he opened fire right outside the airport on 2 March 2011,  on a group of US soldiers on their way to Afghanistan to serve,  according to the higher regional court in Frankfurt. 

Thomas Sagebiel,  presiding judge,  told the court:  “The accused has been convicted to a life sentence for two counts of murder and three counts of attempted murder.” 

Uka,  wearing green trousers,  a black jumper and a brown hooded top,  appeared to be relaxed as the verdict was handed down,  he even smiled at times. 

Nicholas Alden(25) and Zachary Ryan Cuddeback(21),  who were US soldiers are the two soldiers killed during the shooting. 

Sagebiel told the court:  “He would have shot a third,  but the weapon got jammed.” 

The case has been postponed twice already since the first court date and Uka apologizing to his victims and their families. 

“On March 2,  I killed two people and opened fire on three others.  Today I can’t understand myself how I could have acted this way.”  he said. 

According to Uka he had been influenced by “lies” and “propaganda”  after seeing a video on the internet purporting to show US soldiers in Afghanistan raping a local woman.