Suspicion of Islamism: Knife attack-what the investigators about Mahmoud M. Knowledge

After the alleged knife attack on guests of a bar in Bielefeld, more details on the investigation and the suspect Mahmoud M. become known. So the police had tracked down the alleged attacker through several evidence of witnesses. According to security circles and media reports, the evidence of an Islamist motivation of the suspect is also condensed.

The Federal Prosecutor’s Office had taken over the investigation on Tuesday evening: there was suspicion that the crime was religiously motivated and was to be understood as an attack on the free democratic basic order, it was said. A spokeswoman for the Federal Prosecutor said in the ARD that a document was found in the accused that suggested a religious motivation.

Suspect sympathized with IS

The “Spiegel” reports, among other things, of a piece of paper on which a so-called black banner was painted, a flag that is used by various Islamist terrorist organizations such as al-Qaida and the Islamic State (IS). In addition, according to the magazine, the suspect is said to have informed the police officer by translation app after his arrest on Monday that he sympathizes with IS. This information was confirmed by the German Press Agency.

The accused sits in custody due to attempted murder with dangerous bodily harm. A judge in Bielefeld decided that. The suspect is said to have stabbed several guests of a bar in Bielefeld and then fled from the crime scene.

The Bielefeld public prosecutor had also reported on a spear -like object that he is said to have used as a weapon. According to a spokesman for the authority, it is said to be a staff to which a blade had been attached.

If the federal prosecutor takes over the investigation, the suspect will usually be brought back to the investigative judge at the Federal Court of Justice. When this should happen is still open.

DB app led Mahmoud M.

According to DPA information from security circles, the suspect went to the Ruhr area several hours after the attack from Bielefeld Central Station by train via Hamm to Essen. At the main station there, he spoke to a witness who was finally able to give the investigators a decisive hint: So the native Syrian on the witness’s cell phone opened the DB app to look for connections to Velbert (Mettmann district). The witness then turned to the police. The suspect was probably driven on to Velbert by local transport and bus.

Suspect provided in a empty apartment

The investigation then focused on three objects that could be considered the potential residence of the suspect, it continued. Among other things, this included the residential address of a presumed cousin of the suspect in the neighboring Heiligenhaus. According to “Spiegel” information, a relative of the police suspect had given the address of this apartment.

The suspect was initially not found during the search on Monday evening. According to the information, he was finally arrested at 10:42 p.m. by special units in an empty apartment in Heiligenhaus. He was slightly injured.

According to NRW Interior Minister Herbert Reul (CDU), the Syrian had entered Europe via Turkey. In December 2023, the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees issued a temporary protection status after submitting an asylum application in Germany.