Three days after the deadly attack in Halle an der Saale further details become known. The now-confessed Stephan Balliet led numerous weapons and explosives with him. As SPIEGEL learned from security circles, all weapons were down to one self-built. The ammunition that Balliet had with him was also made.
The magazines of the weapons were partly CNC milled - thus manufactured with a computer-controlled milling machine. Without help that would not be possible, it was said further from safety circles. The perpetrator bought the material on the Internet and subsequently was paid by Paypal.
Balliet had tried on Wednesday to storm a synagogue. More than 50 people were in the church at the time to celebrate the most important Jewish festival, Yom Kippur.
The attacker killed a 40-year-old woman outside the church; In a nearby doner kebab he shot a 20-year-old man from Merseburg. On the run, the offender also injured a 40-year-old woman and her 41-year-old man with shots. Later he was arrested. After the arrest, the investigators in the car of the offender several weapons and four kilos of explosives safely. (Read here the cover story of Der Spiegel for the assassination attempt).
Attorney General speaks of terrorist act
Meanwhile, the Federal Prosecutor has taken over the case. Attorney General Peter Frank classifies the act as an act of terrorism. Balliet is accused of double murder and nine times attempted murder. In a several-hour interrogation at the Federal Court on Thursday evening in Karlsruhe Balliet admitted the act and confirmed a right-wing extremist motive.
Throughout Germany, the act had caused horror. Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer (CSU) spoke of a "shame for our entire country". Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) said she was "shocked and depressed by the crime".
The President of the Central Council of Jews, Josef Schuster, made serious allegations against the police: "The fact that the synagogue in Halle was not protected by the police on a holiday like Yom Kippur is scandalous."