Issa al-Hassan mentioned an uncle in Germany during his asylum process, but the authorities never found this person.
The alleged attacker from Solingen, Issa al-Hassan, is suspected of having provided false information during his asylum procedure. According to information from WDR and NDR, the 26-year-old Syrian claimed that he entered Germany to reunite with a relative, the ARD reported on Monday. Other media outlets mentioned that al-Hassan spoke of an uncle in Germany. However, authorities have not been able to locate such a person.
As grounds for asylum, al-Hassan stated that he faced conscription in Syria and punishment for evading it by fleeing the country. However, he also cited irrelevant reasons for his asylum application, such as wanting to support his family in Syria with earnings from Germany.
Al-Hassan surrendered to authorities
Issa al-Hassan is accused of stabbing visitors at a city festival in Solingen on Friday evening without warning. Two men and one woman died from stab wounds, and eight others were injured, some seriously. Al-Hassan was arrested on Saturday evening after surrendering to the authorities.
According to a report from “Spiegel,” the 26-year-old’s DNA has been found on the weapon used in the attack. The magazine cited a confidential police document. The jihadist group Islamic State (IS) claimed responsibility for the attack.
Issa al-Hassan entered Germany in 2022 and applied for asylum in Bielefeld. However, he had already been registered as a refugee in Bulgaria. An EU transfer of al-Hassan from Germany to Bulgaria, as allowed under the Dublin Regulations, was unsuccessful.
