Syrian Man With 'Suspected IS Links' Arrested For Germany Knife Attack That Killed 3: Report

Germany Knife Attack: A 26-year-old Syrian man carried out a stabbing attack in Solingen, Germany, killing three and injuring eight. The suspect, who has confessed to the crime, is being probed for potential links to the Islamic State.

Germany Knife Attack: A 26-year-old Syrian man has been arrested following a stabbing spree in Germany's Solingen, which resulted in three deaths and eight injuries. The suspect, identified by German federal prosecutors as Issa Al H., is under investigation for his potential connections with the Islamic State (IS) group.

The attack occurred on Friday evening during a festival held in a market square celebrating Solingen's 650-year history. The incident led to a makeshift memorial being set up by mourners near the scene. The suspect, who had turned himself in late on Saturday, confessed to the crime, news agency Reuters reported citing a joint statement by Düsseldorf police and prosecutors.

Prosecutors revealed that Issa Al H. targeted individuals he deemed non-believers due to his "radical Islamist convictions," attacking them repeatedly in the neck and upper body, as per Reuters' report. The IS claimed responsibility for the attack, labelling the assailant as a "soldier of the Islamic State" in a statement released via Telegram.

Germany Knife Attack: Politicians Call For Enhanced Security, Stricter Gun Regulations

In response to the attack, German politicians have called for enhanced security measures, stricter regulations on weapons, harsher penalties for violent crimes, and a reassessment of immigration policies. Friedrich Merz, leader of the opposition centre-right CDU party, called for a halt to the admission of refugees from Syria and Afghanistan, stating on his website, "It's enough!"

The suspect was residing in a refugee shelter in Solingen, which was subsequently searched. According to Der Spiegel magazine, which cited unidentified security sources, Issa Al H. had arrived in Germany in late 2022 and sought asylum.

Hendrik Wüst, premier of North Rhine-Westphalia where Solingen is located, labelled the attack as an act of terror, as per the report. The Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) reported that there have been around a dozen Islamist-motivated attacks in Germany since 2000. One of the most significant incidents occurred in 2016, when a Tunisian drove a truck into a Christmas market in Berlin, resulting in 12 deaths and numerous injuries.

The BKA has warned that "the risk of jihadist-motivated acts of violence remains high," and emphasised that Germany remains a direct target of terrorist organisations, the report stated.