Knife attack in Solingen: IS fighter confesses lifelong guilt!

Knife attack in Solingen: IS fighter confesses lifelong guilt!

Solingen, Deutschland - Issa Al H., a 27-year-old Syrian citizen, stands before the Düsseldorf Higher Regional Court because of a brutal knife attack in Solingen. This incident, which took place on August 23, 2024, led to the death of three people and sometimes seriously injured eight people. Al H. confessed on the first day of the trial: "I invited serious guilt to myself. I expect and deserve the lifelong sentence." [Exxpress.at] reports that his attacks during the "Festival of Diversity", which was strong and celebrated the 650th anniversary of the city, were primarily directed towards the sacrificial neck region. He called "Allahu Akbar", which illustrates the brutal intention of his attack.

The indictment has charged three times the murder and ten times attempted murder and his membership in the terrorist organization of Islamic State (IS). According to the indictment, he began to internalize the ideology of IS at the end of 2019 at the latest and developed an Islamist-jihadist conviction. [dw.com] adds that his conviction could lead to lifelong imprisonment and preventive detention.

political and security policy consequences

The process is considered politically charged because it raises questions about Islamistically motivated violence and asylum and migration policy. Al H. had entered Germany as an asylum seeker in December 2022 after fled from Syria to avoid a call to the military. His planned deportation to Bulgaria failed due to organizational hurdles and official failures. This has triggered a political debate in which the AfD uses the attack to underpin its political demands. Chancellor Olaf Scholz described the incident as a "terrible crime" and called for a comprehensive security package.

The old and the new federal government have different approaches to the security strategy. While the old government discussed faster deportations and tightened surveillance, the new government under Chancellor Friedrich Merz plans to introduce a factual entry stop for migrants without papers and to expand the deportation. The importance of monitoring by security authorities was also a central point. [dw.com] emphasizes that numerous tolerated people who are tolerated in Germany - over 250,000, the number according to BAMF in 2024.

background to Islamist terrorism

Islamist terrorism remains a serious security problem in Germany. According to the protection of the constitution, there are around 27,200 people with an Islamist background in 2023, with Salafism being the most important current. Returners from conflict regions such as Syria and Iraq are a special risk, since one of the deradicalization measures is particularly necessary for children and adolescents. In recent years there have been several Islamist motivated attacks in Germany that have contributed to the security of the public. [constitutional conservation.de] reports that an increase in threats from Islamist terror have been determined on October 7, 2023 since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

The case of Issa Al H. illustrates the complexity of the topic. It symbolizes the challenges of dealing with asylum policy and the fight against terrorist ideologies. The process is scheduled for the period from May 27 to September 24, 2025 and comprises a total of 22 process days that are expected.