A young Swedish man has been charged with planning a contract murder in Cologne, Germany. His trial is scheduled to begin next week, nearly eight months after his arrest last fall.
The Swede was arrested in Germany last year after a tip from Swedish police. According to German prosecutors, the then-17-year-old had offered his services as a contract killer on social media and was recruited to shoot a person dead.
He traveled to Germany at the end of September and received a firearm, ammunition and a photo of the intended victim, but was arrested before he could carry out the murder.
Because the Swede was underage at the time of the offense, the case is being handled as a juvenile matter. The main hearing will be held behind closed doors, the Cologne court said.
