Custodians are scrutinizing the mobile device belonging to the suspected terrorist.
Following the fatal knife attack in Solingen, the investigation into the suspect is ongoing. As per North Rhine-Westphalia's Interior Minister Herbert Reul, the suspect's phone is being examined along with other pieces of evidence. However, it remains uncertain whether the heavily damaged mobile device can be repaired for further analysis, Reul stated.
The suspicion against the 26-year-old Syrian detainee is strengthening, as Reul mentioned. He expressed confidence that they were on the right path. However, Reul urged caution due to an alleged video published by the Islamic State (IS) militant group claiming responsibility for the crime. The evaluation of this video, Reul noted, is "extremely complicated."
The experts should be tasked with assessing the authenticity of the real-time footage, Reul suggested. "We've encountered fake videos before."
Regarding the investigation, Reul referred to the Federal Prosecutor's Office, which assumed control of the case on Sunday. The Karlsruhe authorities had issued an arrest warrant for the suspect on Sunday, who surrendered himself on Saturday evening, around 24 hours after the incident on Friday.
According to the police, the suspect is accused of committing the crime as a member of IS. He is charged with various offenses, including murder and membership in a terrorist organization. As per the police, the suspect also confessed to the crime.
Terrorism implicated
As reported by "Spiegel," citing confidential police documents, crime scene investigators found the suspect's DNA on the weapon used. This is a 15-centimeter-long knife discovered near the crime scene, which was also missing from the suspect's room.
North Rhine-Westphalia's Minister-President Hendrik Wüst, speaking about the investigation, said there are "numerous indications" that the crime was a terrorist attack. "Terrorism is suspected," Wüst stated during a visit to Solingen. However, "it is not up to me to determine whether it was Islamic terrorism again," Wüst added.
According to official reports, the suspect attacked visitors with a knife at a party in Solingen's city center on Friday evening, stabbing them randomly but deliberately. Three people lost their lives, and eight others were injured, some severely. The incident sparked widespread shock and political discussions.
The CDU, Germany's Christian Democratic Union, expresses solidarity with the victims and their families. Following the statements by North Rhine-Westphalia's Minister-President Hendrik Wüst, the CDU urgently calls for a thorough investigation, considering the terrorist implications.
