A Syrian man, Issa Al H., has been detained on suspicion of murder and membership in a terrorist organization following a knife attack in Solingen, Germany. The attack, which took place at a festival celebrating the city’s 650th anniversary, left three people dead and eight others injured.
A judge at the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe ordered that the 26-year-old be held for further investigation after prosecutors linked him to the radical ideology of the Islamic State (IS) group. Al H. allegedly acted on these extremist beliefs, targeting his victims by stabbing them from behind in the head and upper body.
Issa Al H. turned himself into the authorities and confessed to carrying out the attack, according to police. Prosecutors have charged him with murder, attempted murder, and serious bodily injury.
The suspect was presented in court wearing handcuffs and leg shackles. Federal prosecutors stated that Al H. was motivated by his radical Islamic convictions, which led him to aim for the largest possible number of victims whom he viewed as unbelievers.
The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack, though it provided no evidence to support this assertion. The group’s statement indicated that the attack was aimed at Christians as retribution for perceived injustices against Muslims in Palestine and elsewhere. Al H., a Syrian citizen who had previously applied for asylum in Germany, was reportedly denied asylum and faced deportation last year.
This attack has intensified discussions on immigration in Germany, especially as the country approaches regional elections where anti-immigration parties are expected to gain traction.
The incident echoes a similar knife attack in June by an Afghan immigrant, which led to calls from Chancellor Olaf Scholz to resume deporting criminals from Syria and Afghanistan. The city of Solingen, shocked by the tragedy, canceled the remainder of the festival and residents gathered to mourn the victims.
Despite losing control over its former territories, the Islamic State continues to perpetrate violence globally, maintaining sleeper cells in Syria and Iraq. The group still manages to recruit new members and claims responsibility for attacks worldwide. Recent operations in Iran and Russia have resulted in dozens of deaths, highlighting the ongoing threat posed by IS even as it remains out of the global spotlight.
