Germany: Munich car ramming suspect had 'Islamist motive'

The suspect apprehended in the car ramming incident in Germany's southern city of Munich on Thursday had an "Islamist motive," German authorities said on Friday.

Munich's prosecutor nevertheless added that there was no evidence that the incident was tied to terrorist organizations such as the so-called "Islamic State."

Suspect admits to intentional car ramming

The 24-year-old Afghan suspect uttered the words "Allahu akbar" (God is greatest) to police officers, prosecutor Gabriele Tilmann added.

"He has admitted that he deliberately drove into the participants of the demonstration," Tilmann added.

"I'm very cautious about making hasty judgements, but based on everything we know at the moment, I would venture to speak of an Islamist motivation for the crime." 

The suspect was being investigated on 36 counts of attempted murder, bodily harm and dangerous interference with road traffic, the prosecutor added.

Officials also said the  number of people injured in the attack had increased to 36.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier attended a moment of silence held at the scene of the attack in central Munich.

"The brutality of this crime churns our emotions and renders us speechless," Steinmeier said, adding that those injured included children, some of them seriously. He vowed that the person responsible would be "held to account according to the law."

Meanwhile, former Afghan President Hamid Karzai condemned the attack and expressed his sympathies to those affected. 

"I condemn the attack in Munich, Germany. My sympathies are with the victims' families," he posted on X. "I wish the people of Germany lasting happiness and well-being, and I appreciate Germany's steadfast support for Afghanistan." 

What else do we know about the suspect?

The Afghan suspect arrived in Germany in 2016 as an asylum-seeker, Tilmann said. But at the time of the incident, he had a valid residence permit and did not have any previous criminal charges.

He was living in a rented flat in Munich and was employed and paid health and social insurance.

She added that authorities searched and analyzed his phone as well as social media activity. On Instagram particularly, he mostly shared athletic posts, but also had religious posts.

Edited by: Alex Berry, Wesley Dockery