The individual arrested in relation to the stabbing incident at Berlin’s Holocaust Memorial on Friday may have had a long-standing intention to target Jewish individuals, according to German officials. The suspect, identified as a 19-year-old Syrian asylum seeker, was found in possession of a Quran, a prayer mat, and a document containing the date of the attack and Quranic verses, suggesting a potential religious motive. Authorities have indicated that the suspect’s statements to the police over the past few weeks pointed towards the development of a plan to kill Jews, with the location of the attack reflecting a deliberate choice.

While police have not dismissed the possibility of a connection to the Middle East conflict, they have not found any evidence linking the suspect to other groups or individuals. The suspect arrived in Germany in 2023 as an unaccompanied minor and has maintained a legal residency without any prior run-ins with the law. Investigations are also being conducted to determine if mental illness may have played a role in the attack.

The victim, a 30-year-old Spanish tourist whose name has not been disclosed, suffered neck injuries requiring emergency surgery and was placed in an induced coma, but is no longer believed to be at risk of death.

The attack occurred at the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, located near the U.S. Embassy in Berlin. It comes during a period of heightened political tension in Germany, with the country bracing for a polarizing national election on Sunday, and amid reports of rising anti-Semitism across Europe. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which has seen increased support, advocates for stricter immigration controls and deportations, a sentiment that has gained traction following a series of attacks committed by individuals of Afghan and Middle Eastern descent in Germany.

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/22/world/europe/berlin-stabbing-holocaust-memorial.html