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The man named only as Omar A., 20, was on a packed bus from German capital Berlin to the northern Italian city of Milan on 21 December 2015. Omar A., who was planning to get off in Leipzig, and had consumed alcohol and drugs before the attack. Berlin District Court heard that shortly after departure on the A10 Motorway near Michendorf, Omar A. suddenly started to hit a man in front of him, who was asleep.

GETTY • PIC POSED BY MODEL A Syrian refugee attacked a man on bus and shouted 'Allah'

We do not know why. There was no attack on the part of the man A Berlin District Court judge

The presiding judge said: "We do not know why. There was no attack on the part of the man. "The man just fell asleep in front of him." According to Omar A., the man had made a phone call too loudly, which had disturbed him. He said he shook the seat of the man in front of him, after which the situation escalated.

GETTY Police in Germany. The Syrian refugee was jailed for two and a half years

The person sitting next to the unfortunate man tried to intervene, but he was also beaten by the Syrian. A 55-year-old Italian threw himself in front of some children to protect them. Omar A. said: "I did not understand, panicked, and shouted, 'Allah, they're killing me.'" He then took a Stanley knife out of his backpack, saying that he was afraid. The judge called this "a claim without a shred of truth". Omar A. slashed the man's face with the knife.

GETTY Angela Merkel has faced a fierce backlash for her open door immigration policy