News Briefing
What happened?
A man rammed several cars on a stolen truck in the Hessian city of Limburg late on Monday afternoon. In total, eight people were injured, including the suspect. According to SPIEGEL information, this is 32-year-old Syrian Omar Al I. Random candidates of the Federal Police arrested the man; he is still being brought before the investigating judge today. The suspect was said to have called "Allah" at the arrest and fiercely resisted.
What does that mean?
The motive is unclear. The Frankfurt Attorney General announced that they were investigating in all directions. Currently, the suspect is accused of attempted murder, dangerous bodily harm and dangerous road traffic. The Frankfurt Attorney General's Office said on Tuesday morning explicitly not speak of a terrorist background of the incident, as various media had already reported.
The most important thing at a glance:
- According to SPIEGEL information, Omar Al I. has already struck the authorities about dangerous assault, drug possession and shoplifting - but not as an extremist.
- The police determined in 2018 after a fight with family members for dangerous bodily injury to the 32-year-olds, also should have been found at a police check once 2.9 grams of hashish with him. State protection law he has not noticed so far.
- The suspect's home in Langen has already been searched, and the police secured cell phones and USB sticks. Islamist propaganda material, weapons or explosives have not been found so far. The home of a suspect's cousin was also searched.
- The 32-year-old traveled to Germany at the end of 2015 . According to SPIEGEL information, he had his asylum hearing at the BAMF in September 2016 and was recognized as a subsidiary protection status in October 2016. His stay is said to have been extended by two years in October 2017 and expired on October 1, 2019. Another extension would have been possible.
Which reactions are there?
Horst Seehofer (CSU) praised the efforts of the young trainees of the Federal Police, who happened to be there and arrested the suspect. A letter from the Minister of the Interior states: "I expressly thank you for your determined and prudent intervention." The quick arrest had allowed security agencies to quickly clear the facts.
