Overview
- The Hamburg court has scheduled the case to run at least until June 30, 2026 due to the volume of witnesses and expert reports.
- Proceedings are temporarily paused after testimony from an alleged leader of the kidnapping group, with hearings expected to resume in about three weeks.
- Media reports now name a former Germany’s Next Topmodel participant as a suspected participant in the operation planned at Hamburg’s Grand Elysée hotel, a claim prosecutors declined to confirm.
- Witness Astrid Have testified that the children remain in therapy, suffer nightmares, and are living under protection, describing lasting psychological harm.
- Block is on trial on charges tied to commissioning a cross-border abduction allegedly carried out by hires from an Israeli security firm, with co-defendant Tal S. reported to have confessed involvement.