A 29-year-old Albanian man, armed with a machete, attacked a German police station in the early hours of Friday morning. The incident occurred at 2:40 am local time (0040 GMT) in the western town of Linz am Rhein, according to a statement from Koblenz prosecutors.
The attacker, identified only as the suspect, entered the police station and shouted “Allahu Akbar” (“God is Greatest”) while declaring his intention to “kill police officers.” Quick thinking officers immediately locked the entrance door and a door leading to the inner courtyard, effectively trapping the man inside. Despite attempts to force his way out, the suspect was unsuccessful.
Special forces were promptly dispatched to the scene and neutralized the attacker using a taser. Initial inquiries have uncovered evidence suggesting a “radical Islamist motive” behind the attack. A search of the suspect’s residence revealed an Islamic State group emblem drawn on the wall, further strengthening the investigation’s focus.
The Albanian suspect remains in custody, and the investigation is ongoing. The incident has heightened security concerns in Germany, particularly in the wake of the ongoing Gaza war and recent suspected terrorist attacks. Germany has experienced a number of such attacks in recent years, including the devastating truck rampage at a Berlin Christmas market in 2016 that killed 12 people. Just the day before the police station attack, a man was shot dead by police after opening fire on officers at the Israeli consulate in what is being treated as a suspected “terrorist attack.” Furthermore, three people were killed last month in a suspected Islamist stabbing at a festival. These incidents underscore the ongoing threat of terrorism in Germany and the need for vigilance and heightened security measures.
