Waldkraiburger perpetrators planned attacks on mosques

A pistol, ammunition, 23 pipe bombs and 34 kilograms of explosives: if the alleged assassin had not been caught by Waldkraiburg, there could have been many deaths. The Islamist confessed to the investigators what he intended to do with the materials.

Waldkraiburg / Karlsruhe (dpa) - The alleged assassin of Waldkraiburg in Bavaria has confessed to having planned attacks on mosques and Turkish institutions.

The 25-year-old had spoken frankly to the investigators, the German press agency in Karlsruhe learned on Wednesday. The man, who calls himself an IS supporter, wanted to attack several mosques belonging to the Islam association Ditib between May 15 and 17. Muslims and Turks are scared and hope that possible accomplices will be caught quickly. The investigators are still checking whether the German citizen acted alone or had supporters.

Attacks on mosques in the Waldkraiburg area were to be followed by attacks on the Turkish consulate general in Munich and the Ditib central mosque in Cologne. He wanted to shoot the imams. For the attacks, he procured a pistol with ammunition and since 23 has manufactured 23 pipe bombs and 34 kilograms of explosives, the prosecutor said on Wednesday. According to dpa information, he wanted to use a bomb with high explosive power to attack the Cologne Mosque. He had not yet started building this bomb.

The federal prosecutor had taken over the investigation on Tuesday. She accuses the man of attempting murder in 27 cases of an arson attack on a retail store, as well as dangerous bodily harm to the detriment of six people, the preparation of a serious act of violence that is dangerous to the state, a violation of the weapons law and property damage.

The "mirror" had reported on the attack plans. The man had been arrested a week and a half ago for several attacks on businesses of Turkish origin in the Upper Bavarian city.

According to the federal prosecutor, the man has religiously radicalized since 2017, has become a supporter of an Islamist-jihadist worldview and the terrorist organization Islamic State (IS). Because of Turkey's actions in the Syrian conflict and dealing with some preachers in Turkey, he had developed "a lasting hatred of the Turkish state and people of Turkish descent". With his deeds, he wanted to create "a spiral of violence and counter-violence", the message says. According to dpa information, the investigators have so far no evidence of membership in the terrorist organization IS.

According to the federal prosecutor's office, the accused had tried to gain access to the prayer room of the Sultan Ahmet Mosque in Waldkraiburg, among other things, in order to cause damage there. "After he hadn't been able to get inside by entering a window pane, he set a fire in a waste paper bin in front of a neighboring apartment building." Because the flames went out quickly, there was no damage.

In the arson attack on a fruit and vegetable shop at night on April 27, he accepted the death of the 27 people present in the building. "It was only because one of the residents noticed the fire early that there were no fatalities," said the federal prosecutor. Six people were seriously injured by the smoke. Property damage in the millions was incurred.

Notice from the Federal Prosecutor

"Mirror" report

Police releases