nburg Gate appears in rainbow colors as candles are lit in front of in on the evening of July 26, 2026 in Berlin, one day after the car ramming attack on people on the outskirts of Berlin's Christopher Street Day (CSD) parade on late J Expand

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Berlin prosecutors offered more details about Ballout's prior activities, saying he went to Lebanon in 2025, hoping to reach Syria and join the Islamic State. After making contact with people he believed were members of the militant group, he was arrested and sentenced on charges that included incitement to religious and sectarian violence.

In May, Ballout was convicted of preparing a serious act of violence endangering the state, as well as publishing Islamic State propaganda on his Instagram account, among other charges, prosecutors said. He was given a suspended sentence of one year and ten months in prison.

Prosecutors appealed the ruling, but Ballout was released from detention during the appeal.

The Source: Information for this article was taken from The Associated Press. This story was reported from Orlando.