Three Höfðatorg defendants relied on municipal support

The three defendants in the Höfðatorg case, two Palestinians and one Somali, had little or no involvement in Iceland’s labour market during their time in the country, according to mbl.is. Two received municipal support, while the third appears to have had no declared income. They are accused of jointly attempting to kill the victim.

Kareem M.M. Abufarhah, a 28-year-old Palestinian man, is accused of driving a Land Rover at high speed into the victim, sending him onto the bonnet before he fell to the ground.

Abufarhah arrived in Iceland early in 2020 and received support from Reykjavík City’s welfare services from February 2020 until July 2024. He then had employment income for about one month before receiving support from Árborg municipality. He remained on municipal support until his arrest in June 2026. In total, he received more than 12 million Icelandic krónur from the two municipalities, according to documents obtained by Morgunblaðið.

Qossay Ali Yahya Alsadi, a 24-year-old Palestinian man, is accused of repeatedly hitting the victim with an unidentified object after the collision.

Alsadi arrived in Iceland late in 2025 and received support from Reykjavík City’s welfare services until June 2026, when he left the country for Jordan. He also received a payment from Reykjanesbær municipality in December 2025. In total, he received about 1.7 million krónur from the two municipalities over six months.

The third defendant is Mohamed Sayidali Ahmed, a Somali man aged 25. He is accused of stabbing the victim in the left buttock with a bladed weapon after the vehicle collision and assault. Abufarhah told the court that he met Ahmed in prison.

Ahmed appears never to have had declared income in Iceland, either from employment or public support. He is registered as living in an apartment building in the Engjahverfi neighbourhood of Selfoss.

The Höfðatorg case stems from clashes in a car park beneath Höfðatorg during the night of March 17. A large group staying in the car park confronted three men who had arrived to meet them, bringing the total number involved to nearly 20.

Knives and clubs were used, and one man was struck by a vehicle. There were three victims, one of whom suffered life-threatening injuries. Eleven people were arrested during the investigation, which was conducted as a possible underworld settling of scores. Three men were later charged with attempted murder, and the main hearing is now under way at Reykjavík District Court.