The Islamic State organization claimed responsibility today for the knife attack in the city of Solingen, western Germany, in which three people lost their lives yesterday, Friday.
The terrorist group’s news channel reported that “the attacker at yesterday’s Christian gathering in the city of Solingen, Germany, was a soldier of the Islamic State,” adding that the massacre was carried out in retaliation for “Muslims in Palestine.”
Meanwhile, new details about the massacre at the Solingen festival celebrating the city’s 650th anniversary have emerged from Bild. According to a witness who was injured, the attacker was heard shouting “Allahu Akbar” (God is great) during the attack. The witness also mentioned that he knew the attacker “from Solingen” and that he was a visitor to a local mosque.
Additionally, two other witnesses reported hearing a 15-year-old talking with the suspect. According to Bild, the attacker told the young person, “Today I will knife them all!” The 15-year-old was arrested on Saturday morning at a refugee center for failing to report the planned crimes. According to Spiegel, he is from Kyrgyzstan and refuses to provide information.
The investigation to locate the attacker is ongoing, with local authorities deploying 250 police officers.
Police stated that no motive other than terrorism has been identified.
Earlier, prosecutor Markus Kasper, who is investigating the knife attack at the Solingen festival, which resulted in three deaths and eight injuries, announced that there was “no motive other than terrorism” behind the attack.
During a press conference on the case, Police Chief Torsten Flais confirmed the information that the attacker specifically targeted the necks of his victims, a detail that had initially been denied. Mr. Flais further clarified that, as of now, there is no available image of the suspect that could be used in the investigation to locate him. However, “many leads are being investigated, and a significant amount of material is continuously being gathered.”
On his part, Hendrik Wüst, the Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, stated that the attack was a “terrorist act.”
