In a shocking turn of events, a 26-year-old man has confessed to the Solingen knife attack that resulted in three fatalities and eight injuries during a festival celebrating the city's 650th anniversary, German authorities revealed on Sunday.
The suspect, who has not been named, surrendered himself to the Duesseldorf police, claiming responsibility for the horrific incident.
According to ABC News, the joint statement from the Duesseldorf police and the prosecutor's office confirmed the man's confession, stating, "This persons involvement in the crime is currently being intensively investigated." Federal prosecutors are now probing the case on the grounds of murder, attempted murder, and affiliation with a foreign terrorist organization.
The suspect, a Syrian national who had sought asylum in Germany, was later transported from the Solingen police station to the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe, shackled at both his hands and legs. His asylum application had been rejected, and he was scheduled for deportation last year, as reported by the dpa news agency.
The Islamic State militant group claimed responsibility for the attack on Saturday, alleging that the assailant targeted Christians "to avenge Muslims in Palestine and everywhere." However, this claim has not been independently verified. Peter Neumann, a professor of security studies at King's College London, noted that while most of the claims on the site have proven to be accurate, "ISIS strategy for a number of years has been to claim attacks which are merely inspired, in other words, in which the link between organization and attacker is merely ideological."
The knife attack has left the city of Solingen, a community of approximately 160,000 residents located near Cologne and Duesseldorf, in a state of shock and mourning. The city was celebrating its "Festival of Diversity" when the attack occurred. The assailant reportedly targeted his victims' throats deliberately, killing two men aged 67 and 56, and a 56-year-old woman.
The festival was subsequently cancelled, and the city square, where the attack took place, was cordoned off for investigation. The residents of Solingen gathered to mourn the victims, leaving flowers and notes near the crime scene. One poignant sign amid the candles and teddy bears simply asked, "Warum?" - Why?
Cord Boetther, a 62-year-old merchant from Solingen, echoed this sentiment, stating, "Why does something like this have to be done? Its incomprehensible and it hurts."
In a related development, a 15-year-old boy was arrested on suspicion of having prior knowledge of the attack and failing to inform the authorities. However, he was not identified as the attacker. Two female witnesses reported overhearing the boy and an unidentified individual discussing plans that matched the subsequent carnage.
This incident has reignited the immigration debate in Germany, especially with the upcoming regional elections in Saxony and Thueringia, where anti-immigration parties like the populist Alternative for Germany are predicted to perform well. Chancellor Olaf Scholz had pledged in June to resume the deportation of criminals from Afghanistan and Syria following a knife attack by an Afghan immigrant that left one police officer dead and four others injured.
Despite losing control over any land and the death of many of its leaders, the Islamic State militant group continues to recruit members and claim responsibility for deadly attacks worldwide. Its sleeper cells in Syria and Iraq still carry out attacks on government forces and U.S.-backed Syrian fighters, reminding the world of its persistent threat.
Login