An asylum seeker from Syria who has been arrested on suspicion of killingthree people and injuring another eight following a knife attack in western Germany is believed to be a member of Islamic State, a German federal prosecutor said.
Authorities said the 26-year-old man turned himself in and admitted to the crime.
A German federal prosecutor spokesperson said the person in custody over the stabbing is suspected of being an ISIS member.
North Rhine-Westphalia’s interior minister, Herbert Reul said the suspect came from a home for refugees in Solingen that was searched on Saturday.
Der Spiegel reported that the man moved to Germany late in 2022 and sought asylum.
On Saturday, Islamic State group claimed responsibility for the attack.
The suspect stabbed passers-by who were attending a city festival in Solingen at around 9.45pm (local time) on Friday.
Police said the attacker targeted victims’ throats, with the attacks “very targeted” at people’s necks.
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ISIS described the man who carried out the attack as a “soldier of the Islamic State” in a statement on its Telegram account.
They wrote: “He carried out the attack in revenge for Muslims in Palestine and everywhere.”
The incident took place at a festival in Solingen – some 25 kilometres from Dusseldorf – which began on Friday and was supposed to continue over the weekend.
An urgent manhunt was launched on Friday following the horrific incident.
Multiple people were killed after mass stabbing attack in Germany
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A 15-year-old was also arrested on suspicion of failing “to report an imminent crime”.
Police confirmed two men and a woman were killed in the attack. The two male victims are reportedly 67 and 56 years old, and the deceased woman is 56.
Authorities have cancelled the remainder of the weekend festival.