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Afghan policeman in front of a burned-out tanker truck in Kunduz (September 4, 2009)
Photo: epa Jawed Kargar / dpa
The German judiciary's investigations into an air attack in Kunduz, Afghanistan, with many dead in 2009, were sufficient in the opinion of the European Court of Human Rights.
In the judgment of Tuesday the Grand Chamber of the Court of the Federal Republic is right.
The decision is final, no complaint can be made.
An Afghan father had sued in the case and accused Germany of human rights violations.
Both of his sons were killed in the attack more than ten years ago.
In the attack on two tank trucks hijacked by the Taliban by US warplanes on the night of September 4, 2009, around 100 people were killed, including numerous civilians.
The then Bundeswehr Colonel Georg Klein had ordered the bombing.
He feared that the insurgents might use the vehicles as rolling bombs.
Residents from the area who wanted to stock up on fuel had also gathered at the site.
The air attack is considered to be the bloodiest German operation since the Second World War.
As a result, the Attorney General investigated Colonel Klein.
The investigation was discontinued because there were insufficient indications for suspicion.
The plaintiff before the European Human Rights Court then tried to force a lawsuit against Klein.
He had also been unsuccessful in Germany with a constitutional complaint.
The European Court of Human Rights, based in Strasbourg, France, is part of the Council of Europe.
Together they stand up for the protection of human rights in the 47 member states.
They are not organs of the European Union.
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asa / dpa
