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| Germany bombing: Syrian man kills himself, injures 12, in Ansbach explosion | Germany bombing: Syrian man kills himself, injures 12, in Ansbach explosion |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A Syrian man killed himself and injured 12 people after a “deliberate explosion” outside a music festival in the German town of Ansbach. | A Syrian man killed himself and injured 12 people after a “deliberate explosion” outside a music festival in the German town of Ansbach. |
| Authorities said the 27-year-old had been denied asylum a year ago and had a history of making attempts on his own life. | |
| It is believed a device he was carrying exploded although it is not clear whether it was a suicide bombing or whether the man intended to plant it and harm others. | It is believed a device he was carrying exploded although it is not clear whether it was a suicide bombing or whether the man intended to plant it and harm others. |
| At a media conference in the early hours of Monday the Bavarian interior minister, Joachim Herrmann, said the man had attempted to gain entrance to the Ansbach open music festival. | |
| More than 2,000 people had been in the festival crowd in the small town of 40,000 people southwest of Nuremberg that is also home to a US Army base. | |
| Herrmann said the man was carrying a backpack at the time of the blast, at about 10pm on Sunday, but was turned away at the entrance to the festival. | Herrmann said the man was carrying a backpack at the time of the blast, at about 10pm on Sunday, but was turned away at the entrance to the festival. |
| The backpack contained metal items used in “wood manufacturing” and could have killed many more people, he said. | The backpack contained metal items used in “wood manufacturing” and could have killed many more people, he said. |
| Related: Ansbach explosion: one dead and 11 injured in German town after 'deliberate' blast - latest | Related: Ansbach explosion: one dead and 11 injured in German town after 'deliberate' blast - latest |
| Hermann did not specify whether these items were nails or screws but he said that because of the contents a terrorist motivation for the incident could not be ruled out. | |
| However, a spokesman for the prosecutor’s office in Ansbach said the attacker’s motive was not clear. | However, a spokesman for the prosecutor’s office in Ansbach said the attacker’s motive was not clear. |
| “If there is an Islamist link or not is purely speculation at this point,” said the spokesman, Michael Schrotberger. | “If there is an Islamist link or not is purely speculation at this point,” said the spokesman, Michael Schrotberger. |
| Hermann said the man’s request for asylum was rejected a year ago, but he was allowed to remain in Germany on account of the situation in Syria. | Hermann said the man’s request for asylum was rejected a year ago, but he was allowed to remain in Germany on account of the situation in Syria. |
| At least 12 people are reported to have been injured in the blast – three of those are believed to be in a serious condition. | At least 12 people are reported to have been injured in the blast – three of those are believed to be in a serious condition. |
| Shortly after the explosion, the mayor of Ansbach, a town near Nuremberg in Bavaria, said the blast had been caused deliberately. | Shortly after the explosion, the mayor of Ansbach, a town near Nuremberg in Bavaria, said the blast had been caused deliberately. |
| A police spokesman said: “An explosion went off in the city centre and a man, which the latest enquiries show caused it, was killed in the event.” | A police spokesman said: “An explosion went off in the city centre and a man, which the latest enquiries show caused it, was killed in the event.” |
| After the explosion the entire area was evacuated and the music festival cancelled. | After the explosion the entire area was evacuated and the music festival cancelled. |
| Thomas Debinski, who was interviewed by Sky News, described a “disturbing” scene as people in the small city came to realise a violent act had taken place. | |
| “People were definitely panicking, the rumour we were hearing immediately was that there had been a gas explosion,” he said. | |
| “But then people came past and said it was a rucksack that had exploded. Someone blew themselves up. After what just happened in Munich it’s very disturbing to think what can happen so close to you in such a small town.” | |
| Police blocked off the town centre and emergency services were on the scene. Bomb experts were sent to determine the cause of the explosion. | Police blocked off the town centre and emergency services were on the scene. Bomb experts were sent to determine the cause of the explosion. |
| The explosion, which followed the killing on Friday of nine people by an 18-year-old gunman in Munich, occurred at a wine bar called Eugene’s, the Nürnberger Nachrichten newspaper reported. | The explosion, which followed the killing on Friday of nine people by an 18-year-old gunman in Munich, occurred at a wine bar called Eugene’s, the Nürnberger Nachrichten newspaper reported. |
| Police had said earlier the explosion might have been caused by a gas leak. | Police had said earlier the explosion might have been caused by a gas leak. |
| But a spokesman for the Bavarian interior ministry later said the explosion was not an accident and appeared to have been intentional. | But a spokesman for the Bavarian interior ministry later said the explosion was not an accident and appeared to have been intentional. |
| “The explosion was set off deliberately,” said Michael Siefener, a spokesman for the regional interior ministry. | “The explosion was set off deliberately,” said Michael Siefener, a spokesman for the regional interior ministry. |
| Germany, Bavaria in particular, has been on edge after a deadly rampage at a Munich shopping mall on Friday in which nine people were killed, and an axe attack on a train near Wuerzburg last Monday in which five people were wounded. | Germany, Bavaria in particular, has been on edge after a deadly rampage at a Munich shopping mall on Friday in which nine people were killed, and an axe attack on a train near Wuerzburg last Monday in which five people were wounded. |
| Both came shortly after a Tunisian man in a truck killed 84 people when he ploughed through a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in the French city of Nice, on the French Riviera. | Both came shortly after a Tunisian man in a truck killed 84 people when he ploughed through a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in the French city of Nice, on the French Riviera. |
| Bavarian public broadcaster Bayerische Rundfunk reported that about 200 police officers and 350 rescue personnel were brought in following the explosion in Ansbach. | Bavarian public broadcaster Bayerische Rundfunk reported that about 200 police officers and 350 rescue personnel were brought in following the explosion in Ansbach. |