Authorities recognized a 26-year-old man as accountable within the lethal stabbing spree at a competition in Solingen, Germany, final week that left three folks lifeless and wounded eight others as a Syrian nationwide with potential hyperlinks to the Islamic State.
Federal prosecutors in Germany recognized the suspect as Issa Al H., omitting his household identify due to German privateness legal guidelines.
The Islamic State beforehand claimed duty, saying that the attacker focused Christians who carried out the assault “to avenge Muslims in Palestine and everywhere.”
The Islamic State group described the person who carried out the assault as a “soldier of the Islamic State” in a press release on its Telegram account.
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Police and ambulances stand close to the scene of final week’s stabbing spree in Germany. (Gianni Gattus/image alliance by way of Getty Photographs)
North Rhine-Westphalia’s inside minister, Herbert Reul, mentioned that Issa Al H. was residing at a house for refugees in Solinger previous to the assault.
Der Spiegel journal, citing unidentified safety sources, mentioned that the suspect had moved to Germany late in 2022, and sought asylum.
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Following the deadly Aug. 23 knife assault, Chancellor Olaf Scholz known as for stricter immigration legal guidelines and an improve in deportations.
“We will have to do everything we can to ensure that those who cannot and are not allowed to stay in Germany are repatriated and deported,” Scholz mentioned whereas visiting the sight the place the stabbing occurred.
“This was terrorism, terrorism against us all,” he mentioned.
Law enforcement officials stand close to a constructing in Solingen, Germany. (Gianni Gattus/dpa by way of AP)
The victims had been in entrance of a stage having fun with a dwell music band enjoying to mark the city’s 650-year anniversary when the assault occurred at round 9:35 p.m. native time on Aug. 23.
The three individuals who died had been two males aged 67 and 56, and a 56-year-old lady, authorities mentioned. Police mentioned the attacker appeared to have intentionally aimed for his victims’ throats.
Police cordoned off the sq. following and passers-by positioned candles and flowers outdoors the limitations.
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In a translated social media put up instantly following the assault, Solingen Mayor Tim Kurzbach mentioned that they’re in “shock” following the assault.
“Tonight we are all in Solingen in shock, fright and great sadness,” he wrote. “We all wanted to celebrate our city anniversary together, and now we have to mourn the dead and injured. Breaks my heart that there was an assassination attack on our town.”
EMTs and police are deployed close to the scene the place three folks had been killed and injured in a stabbing spree at a competition in Solingen, Germany, Aug. 23. (Gianni Gattus/dpa by way of AP)
Deadly stabbings and shootings are comparatively unusual in Germany. The federal government mentioned earlier this month it needed to toughen guidelines on knives that may be carried in public.
In Could, an Afghan migrant went on a stabbing spree in Mannheim, which is situated within the southwest of Germany, the place he wounded an anti-Islam activist and a number of other others, together with a police officer who died. Days later, a member of the German right-wing social gathering Different for Germany (AfD) was stabbed within the metropolis whereas canvassing for election.
The violence comes forward of three state elections subsequent month in Thuringia, Saxony and Brandenburg, through which the anti-mass immigration proper wing social gathering, Different for Germany (AfD), has an opportunity of successful.
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Although the motive and identification of the assailant weren’t recognized, a prime AfD candidate for one of many state elections, Bjoern Hoecke, seized on Friday’s assault, posting on X: “Do you really want to get used to this? Free yourselves and end this insanity of forced multiculturalism”.
Reuters and the Related Press contributed to this report.
