The alleged Islamist attack attributed to a Syrian, who killed one in early October in Germany, “
could not have been avoided
” even if the suspect was known to be radicalized, authorities said Thursday in the Saxony region where the murder took place.
Read also: Germany: suspicion of an Islamist attack after a knife attack
"
It is the bitter truth: we could not have avoided this act
", declared the head of the intelligence services of this land, Dirk-Martin Christian, during a press conference in Dresden.
He admitted that the suspect, whom he described as an “
Islamist terrorist
”, was being followed “
closely
” including the day of his knife attack, while refusing to specify exactly when he was under observation during this attack. day.
"
From our point of view, we have exhausted all the measures at our disposal
", also defended Petric Kleine, president of the judicial police of the region.
The young man, with a long criminal record, was arrested on Tuesday for the fatal assault on October 4 in downtown Dresden.
The victim is a 55-year-old German tourist who died as a result of the beatings inflicted.
Another 53-year-old German was seriously injured.
The Karlsruhe Federal Prosecutor's Office, responsible for terrorism cases, was seized of the case.
Read also: Germany: A Jewish student attacked in front of a synagogue in Hamburg
Arrived in Germany at the height of the migration crisis in 2015, the perpetrator of the attack had already been the subject of criminal convictions for acts of violence and for having tried to recruit support for "
a terrorist organization
", according to the Dresden prosecutor's office.
During a stay in prison, he had twice assaulted employees of the penitentiary institute, explained Petric Kleine.
Released on September 29, he was followed by an accompanist responsible for his insertion, was notably subject to the prohibition of possessing a weapon and had to report regularly to the police, which he had done before taking action. and the day after the attack, according to him.
Recognized as a refugee in 2016, this status was withdrawn three years later because of his criminal record.
He had not been returned to his country, as Germany had decreed a ban on deportations to warring Syria, valid until the end of December.
The murder has rekindled a debate about it in Germany.
Several voices were raised, in particular within the conservative party of Angela Merkel, for those guilty of crimes originating in Syria to be systematically expelled there.
