© KEYSTONE/GAETAN BALLY
The infectious disease specialist, expert for the Confederation in the context of the Covid-19 crisis, kidnapped at the end of March by the 38-year-old German killed on Wednesday in Wallisellen (ZH) by the police, is Christoph Berger. The latter confirmed this on Sunday in a “personal press release”.
The German-speaking newspapers of Tamedia had identified Mr. Berger as the victim of the kidnapping. But the Zurich district court had forbidden them to mention his name in a super-provisional decision.
These media had argued that his position as President of the Federal Commission for Vaccinations had played a role in his kidnapping. Mr. Berger said he was aware of the “great emotional and social tensions that vaccination issues have caused in the past two years”.
But according to the press release, the kidnapper, whom the infectious disease specialist did not know, did not mention this function during the kidnapping which lasted “a good hour”. “Only economic interests were in the foreground.”
The kidnapper wanted “a substantial sum of money” and threatened Christoph Berger, laying out what he would do with him if the demand for the money was not met within the time limit. Mr. Berger was released following he assured his attacker that he would meet his demands.
Respect for privacy
The infectious disease specialist then immediately contacted the cantonal police, who have since taken care of him and his family. “Protecting my family was my priority during this episode, and of course still is.”
Christoph Berger said he did not want to provide too many details, on the advice of the police and the Public Prosecutor. He added that he would not give any further information to the media and insisted on respecting his privacy.
A man and a woman killed
On Wednesday evening, a shooting occurred in Wallisellen during a police intervention. A German fired at the police who came to arrest him, fatally hitting his companion, a 28-year-old Swiss woman. He was later killed in an exchange of fire with the police.
The man, who had weapons, was the subject of an investigation following an abduction committed a week earlier. He was suspected of threatening a man in the canton of Zurich with a gun and kidnapping him. The kidnapper let his victim go the same night. It is still unclear what his motive was for this act.
A 34-year-old Swiss man was arrested Thursday in a neighboring canton and was referred to the public prosecutor. He’s got something to do with the kidnapping.
The exact course of the shooting, the shooting of the police, the events related to the kidnapping, as well as the motive of the German are the subject of an ongoing investigation. It is conducted by the Public Prosecutor’s Office in collaboration with the Zurich cantonal police and the Institute of Forensic Medicine of the University of Zurich.
