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Emergency services at a regional train near Aachen
Photo: Ralf Roeger / dpa
After the knife attack in a regional train near Aachen, investigators are examining an Islamist background.
This was announced by NRW Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU).
The perpetrator is therefore a 31-year-old man who was born in Iraq.
His nationality is still unclear.
In the attack on Friday morning, the man injured five people and there was no danger to life, according to Reul.
The perpetrator was also injured.
"According to everything we know so far, we have to assume that this was an amok act," said Reul.
The attacker suddenly stabbed passengers "indiscriminately and arbitrarily" on the train near Herzogenrath station in the morning.
It was "a cruel act that could be stopped in an act of enormous courage," said the minister.
A 60-year-old federal police officer, who happened to be on the train, managed to overpower the man with the help of two other passengers.
There were about 270 passengers on the train.
200 emergency services at the crime scene
The perpetrator came up with the authorities in 2017 as a so-called Islamism test case, said Reul.
At the time, the man was living in a refugee home and had changed so much that the home then informed the authorities.
Since then, according to the current status, there have been no more abnormalities.
However, the man used different names.
Now it is necessary to determine whether there really was an Islamist motive for the current act.
Several people suffered cuts on their hands and faces during the knife attack, Reul said.
Four injured were taken to a hospital.
The perpetrator, who was initially taken into custody, was also injured and was later taken to a hospital.
According to the information, the police were on site with around 200 emergency services.
The route has been temporarily closed.
wit/dpa/AFP
