By SOLINGEN, Germany — The Islamic State group claimed responsibility Saturday for a knife attack at a festival in Solingen, Germany, that left three people dead and eight others wounded. The claim was made through the group’s Amaq news agency, stating the attacker targeted Christians and acted as a “soldier of the Islamic State” to “avenge Muslims in Palestine and everywhere.”
The attack occurred Friday night at the “Festival of Diversity,” an event marking Solingen’s 650th anniversary. Victims were seemingly targeted at random, with police reporting that the assailant appeared to aim for their throats.
German authorities have launched a massive manhunt, with special forces joining the search. Police began raiding an asylum seekers’ home in Solingen’s city center on Saturday, responding to tips received during the investigation.
“We have received tips and therefore we are currently conducting police activities,” a police spokesperson told the Associated Press, declining to provide further details due to the ongoing operation.
Markus Caspers from the counterterrorism section of the public prosecutor’s office said at a news conference that while a motive has not been definitively established, terrorism cannot be ruled out. “Looking at the overall circumstances, we cannot exclude” the possibility of terrorism, Caspers stated.
The victims were identified as two men, aged 67 and 56, and a 56-year-old woman. Four of the eight wounded individuals are in serious condition.
In a development early Saturday, police arrested a 15-year-old boy suspected of knowing about the planned attack without informing authorities. The teenager is not believed to be the attacker.
Thorsten Fleiss, chief of police operations on Friday night, reported that several knives have been found, but investigators have not confirmed if any were used in the attack. Police have established an online portal for witnesses to upload footage and information relevant to the investigation.
German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser visited Solingen on Saturday evening, pledging the government’s full support to the city and its residents. “We will not allow such an awful attack to divide our society,” Faeser said, appearing alongside Hendrik Wüst, Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia, and Herbert Reul, the state’s Interior Minister.
Wüst described the attack as “an act of terror against the security and freedom of this country.” However, Faeser, Germany’s top security official, has not yet classified it officially as a “terror attack.”
Solingen Mayor Tim Kurzbach expressed the city’s grief: “Last night our hearts were torn apart. We in Solingen, are full of horror and grief. What happened yesterday in our city has hardly let any of us sleep.”
The attack has reignited discussions about knife violence in Germany. Interior Minister Faeser recently proposed tightening weapons laws, suggesting a reduction in the maximum blade length allowed to be carried in public from 12 centimeters (4.7 inches) to 6 centimeters (2.4 inches).
As the investigation continues, authorities have increased police presence at large events. Churches in Solingen have opened their doors to offer spaces for prayer and emergency pastoral care.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and President Frank-Walter Steinmeier both expressed shock at the attack and called for swift justice. “The perpetrator needs to be brought to justice. Let’s stand together — against hatred and violence,” Steinmeier stated.
The incident has cast a shadow over Solingen, a city of about 160,000 residents near Cologne and Düsseldorf. As the community grapples with the tragedy, the remaining festival events have been canceled, and residents have begun leaving flowers at the scene in remembrance of the victims.
Authorities urge the public to remain vigilant and to come forward with any information that could aid in the capture of the attacker. The investigation is ongoing, with police and security forces working to piece together the events leading up to the attack and to prevent any potential further incidents.
AP
