Shock in Germany after the attack against foreigners: "75 years after the Nazis, right-wing terror returned"

In the attack in Hao, nine people were killed, five of whom are of Turkish descent, and the country's top politicians expressed shock at the extreme right-wing violence. "We must protect our liberal democracy," said Merkel's deputy, who called it "poison." Ankara demands full investigation: "Racism is a collective cancer"

Shock in Germany after the attack against foreigners: "75 years after the Nazis, right-wing terror returned"

Germany's top politicians expressed a deep shock on Thursday in the attack in the city of Hanau, in which an extreme right-wing terrorist killed at least nine people, five of whom are civilians of Turkish descent. Another six were injured, including one seriously injured person. The terrorist was unknown to the authorities, who have been operating in recent years to thwart terrorist actions by the right-wing supporters in the country.

Chancellor Angela Merkel said there were many clues that the shooter had acted out of racism and a far-right "toxicity" ideology. She said this "poison" is responsible for "too many crimes" in the country.

Deputy Chancellor Olaf Schultz of the Social Democratic Party said that after the fall of the Nazi regime, "right-wing terrorism" returned. "We must protect our liberal democracy," he wrote on Twitter. In the evening, a memorial assembly was held in the city, to which President Frank-Walter Steinmeier also came.

In Ankara, Turkish officials have called on the German government to respond strongly to the attack. "We expect the German authorities to make maximum efforts to shed light on this case. Racism is a collective cancer," wrote Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Twitter.

Politicians and Muslims on target: Germany arrested 12 radical right-wing activists

The terrorist fled to his home in the car. Bullet in one of the bombing sites today (Photo: Reuters)

Bullet at the scene of the attack in the city of Hanau, Germany, February 20, 2020 (Photo: Reuters)

The shooting, which began at around 10pm, took place in several locations in the city, in the center of which are two hookahs in which residents of Middle Eastern origin are sitting. According to reports in Germany, in a suicide note and video he left in his home, the terrorist, identified as Tobias R., expressed support for extreme right-wing positions and racist conspiracy theories. He also murdered his mother.

The shooter escaped in dark vehicles from the arenas, between which spaced about two and a half miles. Large police forces blocked two streets in the city, while ambulances rushed casualties to hospitals. At the same time, a police helicopter holiday in the city sky. After hours of hunting, the suspect was found dead in his house, near the arenas. The cops found another body in the house, identified as his mother. The two suffered gunshot wounds.

Unknown to authorities. The terrorist in the video who was found dead

Dual shooting attack in Germany: The 43-year-old shooter, identified as Tobias R., said among other things, taking responsibility that certain people who could not be deported from Germany should be destroyed already (Photo: Reuters)

According to a racist manifesto in the terrorist's possession, he called for "total annihilation" of citizens of Middle Eastern and Asian countries, including Israel, Syria, Turkey, Iran and other Arab and Muslim countries.

"On the home page of the suspect in the shooting, there are several videos and a type of manifesto that, along with vague genders and conspiracy theories, pointed to extremely racist attitudes," said Public Prosecutor Peter Frank. He told reporters that the nine victims had a foreign background, aged 21 to 44.
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German President puts foreigners at a memorial assembly in town today (Photo: Reuters)

German President Frank Walter-Steinmeier and his wife at the scene of the attack on the city of Hanau, February 20, 2020 (Photo: Reuters)

Germany, where some three million citizens of Turkish origin, including one million Kurds, live, has experienced political upheavals in recent years in light of the wave of immigration and economic slowdown that led to the strengthening of the extreme right and the left.

Authorities have outlawed some violent right-wing organizations in recent years, but the far-right Party "Alternative to Germany" (AfD) has broken the political taboo it has held in the country since the end of World War II, with its entry into political ministers. It is the third largest party in the federal parliament, and is particularly strong in the former communist states of eastern Germany. Her support for Thuringia's prime minister's election this month, along with members of Merkel's party in the province, has led to a political crisis in Berlin.

Mayor Klaus Kaminsky said it was a "terrible night." He added: "It is impossible to imagine a worse night. It will, of course, keep us busy for a long time and remain a sad memory. I am very disturbed."

Parliament member Katia Lickert, who represents Merkel's right-center party in the city, tweeted that the case is "a real horror scenario for all of us." The city has about 100,000 inhabitants and is located in the state of Hesse.

The night's attack happened four days after another incident in Berlin, near a Turkish show in the Tempodrome event hall where one man was killed. The motive for the background is unknown.

Anger at the government

Last week, the German police arrested 12 suspects in the establishment of an extreme right-wing organization aimed at carrying out attacks against politicians, asylum seekers and Muslims. After the plot was unveiled, German Muslim organizations called for increased security around their institutions in the country.

The Kurdistan Community Association in Germany said some of the victims were Kurds, blaming Germany's political leadership for "not opposing the right-wing and extreme right-wing terrorism".

Last October, an extreme right-wing terrorist attacked a synagogue during Yom Kippur. The attacker filmed himself live-shooting two people outside the synagogue.