A Syrian man who had been denied asylum last year has killed himself and injured 12 others after setting off a bomb near a music festival in Germany. It happened at a wine bar called Eugene’s in Ansbach.
Authorities said that the 27-year old had a history of attempting suicide. Three of the injured people are in a serious condition.
It isn’t clear if the device he was carrying was intended for a suicide bombing, or if the man was just aiming to hurt others.
Joachim Herrman, the Bavarian interior minister, believes that the attack was the work of an “Islamist” suicide bomber, but authorities haven’t taken up the theory yet. A spokesperson for Bavaria’s police said that at the current time the killer’s motive is unclear.
During a press conference this morning. Herrman said that the man was carrying a backpack when the explosion happened at around 10pm on Sunday night, and he was turned away at the entrance to the festival as he didn’t have a ticket.
He continued;
“It’s terrible … that someone who came into our country to seek shelter has now committed such a heinous act and injured a large number of people who are at home here, some seriously.
“It’s a further, horrific attack that will increase the already growing security concerns of our citizens. We must do everything possible to prevent the spread of such violence in our country by people who came here to ask for asylum.”
In his backpack was metal items used for manufacturing wood, which could have killed lots more people.
After the explosion the area was evacuated and the rest of the festival was cancelled.