A stab attack in Germany, possible “akt terrorism”

A knife attack during which a man killed three people and injured eight others at a festival in western Germany was a possible “akt terrorism”, a German official said on Saturday.

German police said they are continuing their search for the hand-over.

Earlier, police arrested a 15-year-old, for whom he said he is investigating whether he has possible ties to the fugitive hand.

Markus Caspers, prosecutor from the public prosecutor's office in Dusseldorf, said on Saturday afternoon at a conference that “terrorism” cannot be excluded from this case, because there are no other motives and because the victims have no link.

On Saturday morning, German police launched a extensive search operation in the western German city of Solingen to capture the hand of Friday evening's attack.

Large police forces, including special units, have gathered around the city center of Solingen.

“Even the victims, even witnesses are being questioned”, police said.

The attack occurred Friday, after 9:00 p.m., when the attacker stabbed some people in a square downtown.

Germany's Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, called for the grip and punishment of the handle.

“Doras must be picked up quickly and punished to the maximum in line with law”, Scholz wrote on the social X network.

Police said the suspect is on the run and that security authorities know very little about him.

According to police, the attack was carried out by a single attacker.

The “Multitype Festival”, which marks the city's 650th anniversary, began Friday and was due to be held until Sunday.

Solingen has some 160,000 inhabitants and is near large cities of Kil and Dusseldorf.

“We are deeply shocked by the brutal attack at the town's Solingen” festival, Germany's Defence Minister Nancy Fyser said in a communique Saturday.

Our “Security authorities are doing everything to grasp the”, she added.

Germany is concerned by an increase in the country's violent knife attacks, and Faeser recently proposed hardening weapons laws. It proposed that the public carry of knives up to six inches [6 cm] long instead of knives with 12 inches [12 cm] long that are currently allowed. / REL/