Issa Al H., the suspect in the Solingen knife attack, is believed to have announced his intentions in a video. However, investigators are still uncertain whether the individual in the footage is indeed the Syrian suspect.
IS claims responsibility for Solingen attack
Before Issa Al H. was apprehended, the so-called “Islamic State” (IS) claimed responsibility for the Solingen knife attack via its news agency, “Amaq.” The group stated that a “soldier” had carried out the assault “on a gathering of Christians in the city of Solingen in Germany,” describing the attack as “revenge for Muslims in Palestine and elsewhere.”
Since the announcement, investigators have been examining the possibility that Al H. might have confessed to the crime through a video message. By Sunday afternoon, sources told the newspaper WELT that the suspect had likely uploaded video material. However, confirmation was not immediately available, as there was still uncertainty about the identity of the person in the circulating videos.
On Sunday evening, IS released a propaganda video claiming to show the Solingen attacker. The video depicted a fully veiled man, with only his eyes visible, holding a sword-like object.
Chilling threats from the alleged attacker
In the video, the person threatens, “You Crusaders, you committed massacres in Bosnia. You committed massacres in Palestine. You committed massacres in the Levant and Iraq. You thought you were safe. But, God willing, I will cut your veins.”
The footage then cuts to a man with a pixelated face, apparently asking his parents for forgiveness before the impending attack. In another video clip, a similarly pixelated individual, identifying himself as Qamish Bin Al-Sumah, seemingly on his way to the crime scene, says, “There are only a few moments left. (…) Please pray for me.”
It is common for Islamist attackers to send video snippets to contacts within terrorist organizations like IS to document their willingness to kill before carrying out their actions.
Investigation ongoing as doubts remain
Regarding the IS video linked to the Solingen attack, investigators remain unsure of its authenticity. The final determination is expected to come from analyzing Issa Al H.’s mobile phone, a process that, according to WELT, is still ongoing.
The 26-year-old suspect killed three people and seriously injured eight others during a festival in the city center on Friday evening. Approximately 24 hours later, he surrendered to police, still covered in blood. Al H. is now in custody, and the Federal Prosecutor General (GBA) has taken over the investigation.
As reported by WELT on Sunday morning, the man’s asylum application was rejected last year. The reason: since he had entered the EU through Bulgaria, that country was responsible for processing his asylum claim. However, the planned deportation did not take place, and the exact circumstances of this remain unclear.
