A police spokesman told the German Press Agency that the connections between the crimes were now being investigated. This is the second arrest in the case. Shortly before, the extremist organization Islamic State (IS) had claimed responsibility for the bloody crime.
The attack was carried out by one of its members “as revenge for Muslims in Palestine and everywhere,” IS explained in its channel on the short message service Telegram. There was no evidence that IS was actually behind the attack. There was also no proof of contact between IS and the attacker.
In the attack on Friday, a man killed three people and injured eight others. The attack took place on the Fronhof, a market square in Solingen, where live bands were playing at a festival to mark the city’s 650th anniversary. The statement, which was also published by the IS mouthpiece AMAQ, also said that the attack was aimed at a “group of Christians”.
Investigators did not rule out a “terrorist-motivated act” on Saturday. A 15-year-old arrested on Saturday may have been in contact with the possible perpetrator shortly before the crime.
Before the second arrest was confirmed, the police stormed the refugee accommodation in the former tax office in Solingen with strong forces. “We have received information and are currently taking police action based on this,” said a police spokesman. A special task force is also in action. The area is cordoned off by a hundred officers.
An as yet unknown perpetrator stabbed several people with a knife at a city festival in Solingen on Friday evening. The police assume that the perpetrator was male. It was a “very targeted attack on the neck” of the victims, said police chief Thorsten Fleiß.
Three people were killed – a 67-year-old, a 56-year-old and a 56-year-old. Four victims were critically injured, two others were seriously injured and two were slightly injured. According to the police, knives were confiscated after the crime and are now being examined individually. The connection between the crimes was still unclear. The investigators have not yet provided any further information about the unknown man. The police have continued to urge the public to be cautious.
Police are investigating in all directions
On Saturday morning, a 15-year-old was arrested who may have been in contact with the possible perpetrator. According to witness statements, an unknown person spoke to the youth “shortly before the crime,” said senior public prosecutor Markus Caspers. The intentions expressed there match the knife attack that followed. However, a connection is still unclear and is being investigated. At the moment, he is “only charged with failing to report planned crimes.”
According to the police, investigations are continuing “in all directions”. There were also several searches “throughout the state of North Rhine-Westphalia”. The investigations are ongoing for triple murder and eight counts of attempted murder.
According to the public prosecutor’s office, the initial suspicion of a terrorist background arises from the fact that “no other motive is apparent”. The victims “had no relationship to each other”. The authorities assume that the attack was carried out by a single perpetrator. Police presence has been increased, it was said.
The police asked the public for help. Information about the crime or the perpetrator can be submitted and images or video material can be uploaded on their information portal (nrw.hinweisportal.de). Meanwhile, several planned festivals in North Rhine-Westphalian cities have been cancelled, partly citing the unclear security situation.
Horror across Germany
The act sparked horror across Germany. Chancellor Olaf Scholz described the attack as a “terrible event”. He was “very dismayed”, Scholz wrote on the online service X. The perpetrator must be “quickly caught and punished to the full extent of the law.” Scholz continued: “We mourn the victims and stand by their families.”
In view of the uncertainty regarding the perpetrator and possible motive, the police union (GdP) warned against the spread of rumors. “We must first clarify everything and catch the perpetrator in order to then draw conclusions about his motivation,” said North Rhine-Westphalian GdP head Michael Mertens to the “Rheinische Post”.
German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser travelled to Solingen in the afternoon to get an idea of the situation. The attack during the city’s anniversary celebrations was “deeply condemnable and disgusting,” Faeser told journalists. At the same time, she called for social unity: “In times like these, we will not allow ourselves to be divided, but will stand together.”
“Our country is not wavering”
North Rhine-Westphalia’s Prime Minister Hendrik Wüst condemned the attack in Solingen as an “act of terror”. “This attack has struck our country at the heart,” he said in Solingen. The attack was directed against the “freedom of our country” and “our way of life”. “But I say it very clearly: our country is not wavering,” Wüst continued. “We will not allow ourselves to be shaken by terror and hatred, we will defend our way of life.”
A debate has started in Germany about a stricter knife ban law: On Saturday, the FDP signaled its approval of a possible tightening of the law. “We will now discuss in the federal government how we can further advance the fight against this type of knife crime,” Justice Minister Marco Buschmann (FDP) told the newspaper “Bild am Sonntag”. Until now, the co-governing Liberals had been critical of an extension of knife bans planned by Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD).
The SPD is now demanding a significant tightening of the laws. “This probable terrorist attack shows that Germany has a problem with knife violence,” SPD leader Lars Klingbeil told Bild am Sonntag. He is calling for an almost complete ban on knives on the streets: “For me, there is no reason why people carry stabbing weapons in everyday life.” All options must be exhausted “so that knives disappear from Germany’s streets and squares,” Klingbeil continued. “Quick and consistent measures” are needed. This includes “finally significantly extending knife bans.”
In the evening there was a service in Solingen’s pedestrian zone, attended by hundreds of mourners. Many came with flowers and candles. Solingen’s city dean Michael Mohr said: “The city is different today than it was yesterday.” Many people had laid down club scarves, cuddly toys, letters and other messages of solidarity at the site of the attack.
/ "Mastering the Art of Fertilizing and Watering Your Hass Avocado Trees")
