Munich Attack: Jihadist Motive Investigated in Crowd Ramming Incident

An Afghan man in Munich has confessed to a car-ramming attack that injured 36 individuals, leading authorities to explore his possible jihadist motives. Prosecutors confirmed he has no ties to established groups, despite suggesting his actions may be Islamist in nature.

An Afghan man has been arrested following a harrowing car attack in Munich that resulted in 36 injuries, including the critical injuries of a two-year-old girl. Prosecutors indicated that the assailant has admitted to intentionally using his Mini Cooper to ram into a crowd, revealing potential religious motivations behind the act. Gabriele Tilmann, the public prosecutor, informed the media that the suspect uttered "Allahu Akbar" (God is greatest) in Arabic during his apprehension, suggesting a possible Islamist motive.

Among the injured, eight individuals sustained serious injuries, with the victims predominantly being male, as the attack unfolded amid a trade union protest near the central station on Thursday. The incident occurred just ten days ahead of Germany's federal elections, which have been shadowed by previous attacks involving immigrants, raising concerns over public safety.

In the aftermath of the tragedy, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier visited the scene and expressed his shock, stating, "the brutality of this act upsets us and leaves us stunned." The suspect, referred to as Farhad N, 24 years old, was subjected to a two-hour police interrogation post-incident. Although he arrived in Germany in 2016 and had been granted legal residency and work permits despite a rejected asylum application, police confirmed he acted alone without any affiliations to jihadist organizations.

Originally, it was suggested that he had a prior criminal record for shoplifting; however, corrections from Bavaria's Interior Minister clarified that he had been employed as a store detective, appearing only as a witness in such cases. As a poignant backdrop, the attack coincided with the eve of the Munich Security Conference, prompting US Vice-President JD Vance, upon his arrival in the city, to extend condolences to the victims of the senseless violence.