Investigators Find Apparent Claim of Responsibility After Berlin Pride Attack

German authorities are investigating a video that appears to be a claim of responsibility for the fatal attack that occurred near Berlin's Pride festival. The suspect, 21-year-old Abdul Rahman Ballout, was killed by police on Sunday, one day after allegedly driving a van into a crowd and then attacking people with a machete. The attack resulted in the death of one Polish woman and injuries to 31 others.

Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt stated that investigators are examining a cellphone recovered from the van. The recovered material includes a potential video claim of responsibility, where a disguised individual is believed to be the suspect. The German federal prosecutor's office confirmed the existence of this video, which reportedly announces the intention to carry out an attack and pledges allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) group. The Bild daily newspaper first reported on the video's existence.

“

People who have been identified as dangerous shouldn't be released on suspended sentences and it's 'dubious' to use juvenile law in their cases, as it was in Ballout's.

Further evidence was discovered at the suspect's apartment, with "references" to IS, though details were not elaborated upon by Dobrindt. Prosecutors have indicated that Ballout, a German-born individual with Lebanese roots, had traveled to Lebanon in 2025 with the intention of joining IS in Syria and had made contact with suspected group members. This raises questions about how the suspect was able to move freely despite a previous conviction related to attempted links with IS.

Dobrindt expressed concern over the suspect's release on a suspended sentence and questioned the use of juvenile law in his case. He suggested that ankle monitors should be employed to restrict the movement of individuals identified as dangerous, while acknowledging that "absolute security" is unattainable. The investigation is ongoing as authorities work to piece together the suspect's motives and any potential accomplices.

“

There is no such thing as 'absolute security.'