Police today said the suspect of the Munich attack yesterday has shown potential Islamist motivation behind the attack.
At least 36 people were injured in a suspected car ramming attack in Munich yesterday, with some with critical and severe injuries.
Police said at a press briefing this morning that the suspect, a 24-year-old Afghan man, has no known links to terrorist groups. The suspect is named locally Farhad N and he came to Germany in 2016, according to reports. He had his asylum application rejected, but his deportation was suspended.
He remains in custody as the main suspect in the attack and despite initial reports from officials, he was in Germany legally, and with no previous convictions.
Investigations into his contacts and online communications are underway to establish his potential motivation for the attack.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, alongside other politicians, has responded harshly to the incident.
“This perpetrator cannot hope for any leniency. He must be punished and he must leave the country,” Scholz told reporters.
Farhad N’s car accelerated before hitting a trade union rally following which an officer fired one shot at the suspect before he was arrested. Pedestrians sprinted for cover in shops and residential buildings as the incident unfolded.
The crash happened one day before the Munich Security Conference, and a week ahead of a national election in Germany.
