Ansbach explosion: Syrian asylum seeker killed by own bomb at German bar

Methinks the German authorities doth protest too much. Ali Sonboli doesn’t seem to have been motivated by jihad; his murders may have been a school spree killing but afterschool. However what about his Afghan friend who was arrested yesterday? How deep was he involved and what was his motive if he was aware and helping? The machete murderer yesterday started with his own wife but why should a domestic row also end with bystanders nearly killed?

Why have a bomb in a backpack just to commit suicide because you are worried about your own asylum application? Or can’t get into a music festival? And then detonate it regardless of the others who might be killed near you? No, sorry, that was is a suicide attack and that is also the personal opinion of  Joachim Herrmann the Bavarian interior minister. It is very lucky that only the bomber was killed. From the Telegraph

A suicide bomber who blew himself up after being turned away from a music festival in southern Germany was a Syrian man who had been denied asylum, according to Bavarian authorities.

The 27-year-old killed himself and injured 12 others when he detonated an explosive device after being denied entry to the event in Ansbach because he didn’t have a ticket, the Bavarian interior minister said. “We don’t know if this man planned on suicide or if he had the intention of killing others,” Joachim Herrmann said…”Unfortunately, this is a terrible new attack which will surely increase people’s anxiety,” 

He said that the contents of a backpack that the man was carrying would have been sufficient to kill and injure many more people. Mr Herrmann said that the attacker, who came to Germany two years ago but had his asylum claim rejected after a year, had tried to kill himself twice in the past and had spent time in a psychiatric clinic.

(He) told Germany’s DPA, that he personally considers the bombing in Ansbach to have been the work of an Islamist suicide bomber. “My personal opinion is that, unfortunately I think, it is very obvious that there has been a real Islamist suicide attack here,”

A spokesman for the prosecutor’s office in Ansbach said the attacker’s motive wasn’t clear. “If there is an Islamist link or not is purely speculation at this point,” said the spokesman, Michael Schrotberger. 

Deputy police chief Roman Fertinger said there were “indications” that pieces of metal had been added to the explosive device. Which is a sure indication that it wasn’t a personal suicide attempt. On Sunday night police said they suspected that the man who had died in the explosion was the attacker. Police added that the suspect has lived in Ansbach since July 2, 2015 and had a “criminal” history.