Man arrested for Berlin stabbing is Syrian refugee who wanted ‘to kill Jews’

Suspected motive confirmed by prosecutors, presumably after giving this information at his court appearance this morning. From the Telegraph

A Syrian man who was arrested after stabbing a tourist at Berlin’s Holocaust memorial had been harbouring a “plan to kill Jews”, German prosecutors said on Saturday.

The attacker, 19, was arrested on Friday evening with blood stains on his hands. He was carrying a copy of the Koran and a prayer mat.

Initial investigations suggested the attacker had “connections with the Middle East conflict”, prosecutors said.

The attacker approached a 30-year-old Spanish tourist from behind at around 6pm on Friday, stabbing him in the neck with a knife.

Police believe the Syrian suspect came to Germany in 2023 as an unaccompanied minor before being granted asylum in the eastern city of Leipzig.

There was no evidence of links to other people or groups and the suspect had not previously come to the attention of Berlin police.