Unraveling the Mystery: The Shocking Reopening of Ala al-Din Najmi’s Murder Case on the Brink of Expiration
Breakthrough in 1995 Assassination of Egyptian Diplomat Alaa El-Din Nazmi
A recent revelation by the French newspaper “Liberation” has shed new light on the 1995 assassination of Egyptian diplomat Alaa El-Din Nazmi in Geneva. An Islamist group called “International Justice” has claimed responsibility for the crime.
Unsuccessful Investigation and New Leads
For over 25 years, the investigation into the assassination was unsuccessful, with proceedings suspended in 2009. However, in 2018, an Italian man of Ivorian origin, born in 1969, was arrested, and his DNA was found on the silencer of the weapon used to kill Alaa El-Din Nazmi.
A New Development in 2020
On May 18, 2020, the Swiss Federal Court, the highest judicial body in Switzerland, demanded the immediate release of the suspect, sparking surprise. The DNA profile, which had long been unused for investigators, was finally matched using technological developments.
International Cooperation and Investigation
The DNA file was entered into the designated system and sent to Interpol or the International Police. The DNA was detected in 68 countries, but the comparison was inconclusive. Despite the perpetrator not being identified, criminal proceedings were suspended in December 2009.
Breakthrough in 2016 and Arrest of the Suspect
In June 2016, Switzerland’s new national system, which uses the AFIS algorithm, was launched. As a result, previously unsolved leads, primarily related to serious crime, were compared to the new financial intelligence system, and a match was found. Fingerprints were eventually found on the silencer, and the fingerprints of the 55-year-old Ivorian suspect were matched. The main suspect was arrested in October 2018 and charged with premeditated murder.
Recent Developments and Trial
In May 2020, after the Federal Court accepted the appeal submitted by the accused, he was released. However, in December 2021, he was arrested again and detained as part of a special investigation in the Swiss states or provinces by the Swiss public prosecutor. He was charged with complicity in murder by reason of making. The case is currently ongoing, with the presumption of innocence applying until a final judgment is issued.
Questions Remain
The question remains why the Swiss public prosecutor reopened the case just months after the statute of limitations expired. According to Swiss law, 30 years is assumed.