Syrian confesses to Solingen festival attack; ISIS claims revenge
25 August 2024 09:29
Almost 26 hours after the shocking events at the festival celebrating the 650th anniversary of the city of Solingen in western Germany, which resulted in the deaths of three people and injuries to eight others, including several seriously, the perpetrator turned himself into the police. "I am the one you are looking for," said the 26-year-old Syrian. The crime was revenge for the plight of Muslims in Palestine and other parts of the world.
"I am the one you are looking for," said the man, standing in the pouring rain, drenched and stained with blood. Just after 5 PM EDT, the 26-year-old Syrian approached police officers in Solingen and confessed that he was the one responsible for the killing at the city festival.
Syrian killed in revenge for Muslims
The German newspaper "Bild" reveals the background of the arrest of the suspect in the bloody attack in Solingen. A 26-year-old Syrian, Issa al H., arrived in Germany at the end of December 2022 and applied for asylum in Bielefeld. He was granted a stay permit. "So far, he was not known to security authorities as an Islamic extremist," writes "Bild."
Three people died, and eight were injured, including five seriously, as a result of the knife attack on Friday evening targeting participants of the festival in Solingen, Germany. The event was organized to celebrate the 650th anniversary of the city, German police said in a statement on Saturday.
On Saturday afternoon, officials announced the arrest of a 15-year-old. He had reportedly spoken to the perpetrator about the attack.
On Saturday evening, ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack. "The attacker at yesterday's Christian gathering in the city of Solingen, Germany, was a soldier of Islamic State." According to the statement, it was supposed to be revenge for Muslims in Palestine and other parts of the world.
Several hours before the murder suspect turned himself in, the police raided an asylum centre in Solingen and arrested a 36-year-old man. "He was not the one we were looking for," said North Rhine-Westphalia's Minister of the Interior, Herbert Reul. Before midnight, he declared that the one they had been searching for all day was already in custody.
