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Berlin Pride attacker recorded masked pledge of allegiance to IS on phone, prosecutors say

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Outcome reported
  • A 21-year-old German citizen, Abdul Ballout, is suspected of driving a minivan into a crowd at Berlin's Pride parade, killing one person and injuring 29.
  • Prosecutors revealed Ballout, who was shot dead by police, left a masked video pledging allegiance to the Islamic State group on his phone.
  • The attack has prompted Germany to announce a security overhaul, particularly concerning the probation system for individuals convicted of violent acts.

A deadly vehicle attack near Berlin's annual Pride celebration has been linked to the Islamic State group, according to German prosecutors. The suspected attacker, 21-year-old German citizen Abdul Ballout, allegedly left a masked video on his phone pledging allegiance to the terrorist organization.

Ballout was shot and killed by police on Sunday after he is suspected of plowing a vehicle into crowds in Tiergarten park on Saturday evening. The attack resulted in the death of a Polish woman in her 60s and left 29 people injured. Authorities assume the masked figure in the video is Ballout, though the exact recording date remains unspecified.

The incident has ignited a debate in Germany regarding the suspect's probation status. Ballout had previously been convicted and sentenced to jail time in May for preparing a serious act of violence endangering the state. Interior Minister announced a security overhaul on Monday, addressing concerns over why the suspect was under the supervision of a probation officer and not in prison.

Though the person in the video was masked, authorities assume it shows the suspected attacker, 21-year-old German citizen Abdul Ballout.

— federal prosecutors' office spokespersonConfirming the suspected identity of the attacker based on a video found on his phone.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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