This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jul/19/germany-train-attack-could-prompt-rethink-of-counter-terrorism-policy

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 2 Version 3
Germany train attack could prompt rethink of counter-terrorism policy Germany's first attack by radicalised asylum seeker alarms officials
(about 3 hours later)
German security services could be forced to rethink their counter-terrorism strategy after what experts regard as the first “lone wolf” attack by an asylum seeker on German soil. German officials are weighing up how to react to what is being treated as the first attack with a jihadist motive by an asylum seeker on German soil, who prosecutors suggested may have decided to carry out the attack just days earlier.
Related: How Isis has devised new ways of sowing savagery in Europe
A 17-year-old Afghan armed with an axe and a knife attacked passengers on a regional train in northern Bavaria on Monday evening, seriously injuring four Chinese tourists before being shot dead by police.A 17-year-old Afghan armed with an axe and a knife attacked passengers on a regional train in northern Bavaria on Monday evening, seriously injuring four Chinese tourists before being shot dead by police.
Prosecutors said on Tuesday that two of the injured were suffering from “acute life-threatening” wounds.Prosecutors said on Tuesday that two of the injured were suffering from “acute life-threatening” wounds.
The Afghan teenager had reportedly been based in Germany for the last two years, and moved only two weeks ago into a foster home in Ochsenfurt, close to the city of Würzburg, where the attack took place. The attack had been carried out with an “Islamist religious motive”, a spokesperson for the state office of criminal investigations said. A hand-painted Islamic State flag had been found in the teenager’s room at his foster home, as well as a college book with a text written in Pashtun.
Early investigations indicate that the attacker was acting with an Islamist motive. According to the Bavarian interior minister, Joachim Herrmann, a handpainted Islamic State flag was found among the teenager’s belongings in his room at his foster home. Lothar Köhler, the director of the Bavarian investigations office, said he understood the text to be a farewell letter to the teenager’s father, in which he complained about “nonbelievers”. In one key passage, he wrote: “Now pray for me that I can take revenge on these nonbelievers, and pray for me, that I make my way into heaven.”
Police had also found a text written in Pashtu, which Herrmann said was seen as a strong indicator that the teenager “could be a person who had been self-radicalised”. The text, passages of which are being interpreted as a letter to the 17-year-old’s father, reportedly calls on Muslims to rise up in self-defence. On an emergency phone call made by one of the train’s passengers and recorded by her partner’s answerphone, the young man is said to be heard shouting “Allahu Akbar” as he carried out the attack.
Herrmann said there was no evidence that the attack had been organised or coordinated directly by Isis. “There are currently no indicators of the young man being part of the Islamist militia’s network,” he said. The teenager had found out on Friday or Saturday that a close friend of his had died in Afghanistan, Köhler said – an event that may have played a role in his radicalisation. Witnesses said the 17-year-old had spent a lot of time on the phone after being informed of his friend’s death. A mobile phone that the attacker discarded while on the run has since been recovered.
The Bavarian interior minister, Joachim Herrmann, said the notebook entry was a strong indicator that the teenager “could be a person who had been self-radicalised”. At the same time, Herrmann said, there was no evidence that the attack had been organised or coordinated directly by Isis. “There are currently no indicators of the young man being part of the Islamist militia’s network.”
Isis moved quickly to take responsibility for the attack, releasing a statement via its online news agency, Amaq, which said: “The perpetrator of the stabbing attack in Germany was one of the fighters of the Islamic State and carried out the operation in answer to the calls to target the countries of the coalition fighting the Islamic State.”Isis moved quickly to take responsibility for the attack, releasing a statement via its online news agency, Amaq, which said: “The perpetrator of the stabbing attack in Germany was one of the fighters of the Islamic State and carried out the operation in answer to the calls to target the countries of the coalition fighting the Islamic State.”
Amaq later released a video that purported to show the attacker, in which a young man waves a knife toward the camera and says “I will slaughter you with this knife and will behead you with axes.” The authenticity of the video was not immediately possible to verify. Amaq later released a video that purported to show the attacker, in which a young man waves a knife towards the camera and says: “I will slaughter you with this knife and will behead you with axes.” Investigators said they could not immediately identify the authenticity of the video.
Related: How Isis has devised new ways of sowing savagery in Europe The teenager had been based in southern Germany since 30 June 2015, and only moved two weeks ago into a foster home in Ochsenfurt, close to the city of Würzburg, where the attack took place. The young man had received a temporary residence permit earlier in the year.
Directors of the refugee shelter in Ochsenfurt where the 17-year-old had been staying expressed their shock and grief at the news. “We’ve never had any form of incident here,” the website of news weekly Der Spiegel quoted a coordinator as saying. “People treat each other peacefully here, that’s why we are shocked and sad.” Directors of the refugee shelter in Ochsenfurt where the 17-year-old had been staying expressed their shock and grief at the news: “We’ve never had any form of incident here,” the website of news weekly Der Spiegel quoted a coordinator as saying. “People treat each other peacefully here, that’s why we are shocked and sad.”
About 250 refugees are stationed in Ochsenfurt, about 60 of whom are unattended minors. According to news agency DPA, the teenager had been on a work experience placement at a local bakery and been receiving support from the German social ministry’s youth welfare service.About 250 refugees are stationed in Ochsenfurt, about 60 of whom are unattended minors. According to news agency DPA, the teenager had been on a work experience placement at a local bakery and been receiving support from the German social ministry’s youth welfare service.
The attack is seen as a wakeup call for Germany’s security and intelligence services, after the country appeared to have previously been able to avert attacks of the kind seen in Belgium and France.The attack is seen as a wakeup call for Germany’s security and intelligence services, after the country appeared to have previously been able to avert attacks of the kind seen in Belgium and France.
Security services in Germany say they have since 2001 managed to successfully avert 12 attempted terrorist attacks with an Islamist motive, by cooperating closely with local community leaders and security agencies in other countries. Security services in Germany say that since 2001 they have managed to successfully avert 12 attempted terrorist attacks with an Islamist motive, by cooperating closely with local community leaders and security agencies in other countries.
Community support schemes aimed at deradicalising young jihadis by working closely with their families had been hailed as a success around Europe.Community support schemes aimed at deradicalising young jihadis by working closely with their families had been hailed as a success around Europe.
Related: Crackdown on British jihadis to include 'deradicalising' scheme from GermanyRelated: Crackdown on British jihadis to include 'deradicalising' scheme from Germany
But the attack in Würzburg appears to be part of a growing trend towards “lone wolf” attacks by individuals who are radicalised suddenly.But the attack in Würzburg appears to be part of a growing trend towards “lone wolf” attacks by individuals who are radicalised suddenly.
German terrorist experts have drawn comparisons between Monday night’s attack and an incident in Hanover on 26 February, in which 15-year-old student Safia S stabbed a policeman in the neck during a routine ID check.German terrorist experts have drawn comparisons between Monday night’s attack and an incident in Hanover on 26 February, in which 15-year-old student Safia S stabbed a policeman in the neck during a routine ID check.
Security agencies in Germany were still investigating the student’s claims that she had been acting upon orders from Isis. Unlike the Afghan asylum seeker shot during Monday night’s incident, Safia S had been raised in Germany.Security agencies in Germany were still investigating the student’s claims that she had been acting upon orders from Isis. Unlike the Afghan asylum seeker shot during Monday night’s incident, Safia S had been raised in Germany.
According to Daniel Köhler, the director of the German Institute on Radicalisation and De-Radicalisation Studies, “lone actor terrorists” pose “a new challenge that we are struggling to come to terms with”. When newly arrived unattended minors are radicalised over a short period, Köhler said, the security agency’s previous strategy was largely rendered redundant. “We are effectively starting at zero.”According to Daniel Köhler, the director of the German Institute on Radicalisation and De-Radicalisation Studies, “lone actor terrorists” pose “a new challenge that we are struggling to come to terms with”. When newly arrived unattended minors are radicalised over a short period, Köhler said, the security agency’s previous strategy was largely rendered redundant. “We are effectively starting at zero.”
“Over the last few years, counterterrorism strategy in Germany has focused massively on working with families to prevent radicalisation taking place,” Köhler said. “Preventing radicalisation amongst refugees, however, will requite lots and lots of catching up.” “Over the last few years, counterterrorism strategy in Germany has focused massively on working with families to prevent radicalisation taking place,” Köhler said. “Preventing radicalisation amongst refugees, however, will require lots and lots of catching up.”
German charity Violence Prevention Network in April launched a project called Al Manara, which is aimed specifically at working with unaccompanied minors, a group it says are “particularly susceptible to recruitment drives on behalf of extremist salafists”. However, the project only exists on a very small scale and is active only in Berlin.
Herrmann appeared to implicitly criticise Angela Merkel’s strategy during the refugee crisis when he said that security agencies in his state were having to cope with the possibility of refugees entering the country under false motives, “a constellation that would have been unimaginable until recently”.Herrmann appeared to implicitly criticise Angela Merkel’s strategy during the refugee crisis when he said that security agencies in his state were having to cope with the possibility of refugees entering the country under false motives, “a constellation that would have been unimaginable until recently”.
Herrmann is a member of Bavaria’s Christian Social Union, a sister party to Merkel’s Christian Democrats. His party’sleadership has emerged as one of the most vocal critics of the German government’s open-borders stance.Herrmann is a member of Bavaria’s Christian Social Union, a sister party to Merkel’s Christian Democrats. His party’sleadership has emerged as one of the most vocal critics of the German government’s open-borders stance.
Renate Künast, a prominent member of the German Green party and former agriculture minister, earned criticism for a tweet in which she questioned why police had shot the teenager dead rather than merely incapacitating him.Renate Künast, a prominent member of the German Green party and former agriculture minister, earned criticism for a tweet in which she questioned why police had shot the teenager dead rather than merely incapacitating him.
Tragisch und wir hoffen für die Verletzten. Wieso konnte der Angreifer nicht angriffsunfähig geschossen werden???? Fragen! #Würzburg @SZTragisch und wir hoffen für die Verletzten. Wieso konnte der Angreifer nicht angriffsunfähig geschossen werden???? Fragen! #Würzburg @SZ
“When police forces are attacked in such a way, they will hardly go for kung fu”, said Rainer Wendt, head of the German police union. “Regrettably that sometimes results in the death of the culprit, but that’s hard to change.” “When police forces are attacked in such a way, they will hardly go for kung fu,” said Rainer Wendt, head of the German police union. “Regrettably that sometimes results in the death of the culprit, but that’s hard to change.”
Wendt said that it was fine for state prosecutors to investigate if police officers acted in accordance with their guidelines, “but we really don’t need parliamentarian smart-arses to do that”. Wendt said it was fine for state prosecutors to investigate if police officers acted in accordance with their guidelines, “but we really don’t need parliamentarian smart-arses to do that”.