A 26-year-old Syrian, who came to Germany at the end of 2022 and filed an asylum application, was arrested as a suspect. Previously, a 15-year-old youth had also been arrested, who was accused of failing to report planned crimes.
The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the act, but there is no confirmation of this. The public prosecutor's office did not rule out a terrorist-motivated act and considered a takeover of the case by the Federal Prosecutor General.
The suspect, Issa al H., has been identified as the alleged attacker, who later turned himself in to the police. The attack, which occurred at a city festival in Solingen, resulted in the deaths of three people and injuries to eight others.
The authorities are investigating the possibility of a terrorist motive. The incident has prompted the cancellation of festivities in neighboring cities and a memorial event in Solingen.
The Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, has condemned the attack and emphasized the importance of apprehending and punishing the perpetrator. The Islamic State group has claimed responsibility for the stabbings, stating that the attacker targeted Christians to avenge Muslims.
The police have found several knives, but it is unclear if they were used in the attack. The arrest of the suspected attacker has been confirmed by the regional minister, Herbert Reul.
