Berlin attack suspect had 'rich' criminal past, radical ties: minister

Berlin is searching for a 21-year-old German citizen of Lebanese origin in connection with a fatal attack at an event celebrating LGBTQ+ rights. The assault killed at least one woman and injured 14 others. Authorities have classified the incident as terrorism with an Islamist motive.

Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt stated that all evidence points to an Islamist terrorist attack. He described the suspect, Abdul Balut, as having a "rich" criminal past, including radicalization and connections to Islamist circles. Balut was born in Berlin in 2005 and reportedly traveled to his homeland last year to join the Islamic State group.

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We are facing a suspect perpetrator, who had previously attracted the attention of the authorities due to a large number of criminal offenses, radicalization, and connection to the Islamist sphere.

Upon his return, Balut was arrested on suspicion of planning a "serious act of violence endangering the state." While prosecutors recommended a three-year prison sentence, the Tiergarten Regional Court in Berlin imposed a one-year sentence. He was released in May and was supposed to attend deradicalization classes, with his next session scheduled for Monday.

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We are all shocked and appalled by the attack on Christopher Street Day in Berlin, where hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world wanted to celebrate peacefully and joyfully, sending a message of tolerance and diversity, of self-determined and equal life.

Weeks before the attack, German magazine Der Spiegel reported that authorities received information about Balut posting a photo of a weapon online. A search of his apartment yielded only a fake weapon. Police released a photo and description of the suspect, warning the public not to approach him as he may be armed and dangerous. Security forces have been deployed at Berlin train stations, and alerts have been issued to border services and neighboring countries.

Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed shock and dismay over the attack, which occurred during Christopher Street Day, an event celebrating tolerance and diversity. The President of the Bundestag, Julia Klöckner, ordered flags at the parliament building to fly at half-mast, stating that an attack on those defending freedom and diversity is an attack on the foundations of democracy.

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Whoever attacks people who defend freedom, equal rights, and diversity, attacks the very foundations of democracy.