The individual under allegations for ties with ISIS is identified as Omar A.
Law enforcement officials apprehended a 28-year-old Libyan individual suspected of plotting an Islamist attack against the Israeli embassy in Berlin. As reported by "Der Spiegel" and RTL/ntv, this man had previously expressed his animosity towards Jews online, interspersing his hateful remarks with delightful travel photos from Germany.
In the series of images, we see a charming young man. Sometimes he strikes poses in front of the iconic Brandenburg Gate, other times in the heart of Hamburg, his face always radiating joy. He appears to be enamored with Germany, smiling broadly in the face of his homeland's tumultuous climate.
According to "Der Spiegel" and RTL/ntv, this man is identified as Omar A., a Libyan asylum seeker, who resided in a refugee shelter in Bernau, near Berlin, until his recent arrest. Last Saturday, he was detained on suspicion of terrorism-related activities.
Omar A. is said to have orchestrated plans for an attack on the Israeli embassy, a fact that German authorities reportedly discovered just in time. Reports indicate that he is under strong suspicion of supporting a terrorist organization, with the Islamic State, or IS, appearing to be involved.
Anti-Semitic and Anti-Israeli Posts
Online, Omar A. openly disparaged Israel and its people. Sprinkled among the cheerful photographs, one finds a social media post from his recognized Instagram profile: "The Jews fear not the lively songs nor the marches, nor the national flags, nor the tweets of the players and singers. Instead, they fear our return to the path of the righteous predecessors, to the path of Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq and Omar, may peace be upon them."
This statement leaves room for interpretation, as the "path" of Abu Bakr Al-Siddiq, a direct successor of the Prophet Mohammed, encompasses jihad, or holy war. Another post on Omar's profile shows a crushed Israeli flag beneath shoe prints.
Research conducted by "Der Spiegel" and RTL/ntv reveals that Omar A. has been chronicling his life in Germany on various social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. He reportedly entered the EU through Malta and relocated to Germany in the fall of 2022. Photographs represent him touring a settlement in Sankt Augustin, Rhineland-Palatinate, with friends.
Islamist Consuming Alcohol
During the arrest, as part of witness interviews, the police also questioned the friends who appeared in these photographs with Omar A. in Sankt Augustin. According to sources, Omar continued to travel on to Berlin, followed by further excursions documented on social media. His exploits included trips to Hamburg, Leipzig, Magdeburg, Eisenhüttenstadt, Düsseldorf's Königsallee, and Bonn and Sankt Augustin multiple times.
In Bonn, Omar posed during the cherry blossom season, while in Berlin, he accompanied a social media post with the popular pop song "Summertime Sadness" by Lana del Rey.
"Der Spiegel" and RTL/ntv conducted interviews with roommates of the suspected Islamist in the refugee shelter in Bernau. According to them, Omar did not display any apparent signs of extremist beliefs or religious fervor. A Christian man from Sudan recalls having a beer with Omar A. at one point, and relates that, through their shared German language course, he never perceived an extremist ideology in him. Rather, Omar was a reserved individual. He recounted the events surrounding his arrest, describing the moment that police burst into his room without warning and the ensuing chaos.
engagement with IS Member
Shortly after his arrest, Omar A. was airlifted to Karlsruhe and presented to the investigating judge at the Federal Court of Justice. The judge issued a warrant for his detention on Sunday, alleging that Omar had planned to employ weapons for an attack against the Israeli embassy in Berlin. Reports indicate that Omar exchanged messages with an IS member via a messaging app to organize the operation.
German authorities are believed to have apprehended the Islamist beforehand due to a tip from foreign intelligence services. The question of whether German intelligence services were previously aware of Omar A.'s anti-Semitic online posts remains a subject of mystery.
In the midst of investigations, it was revealed that Omar A., the Libyan individual arrested for plotting an Islamist attack, had engaged in online discussions with an alleged IS member. He also expressed his disdain towards Israel and Jews on social media platforms, posting messages that showed support for jihad and disrespect towards Israel and its people.
