Machete attack on the police station in Linz: Investigators see terror motif

Machete attack on the police station in Linz: Investigators see terror motif

In a worrying incident in Linz am Rhein, Rhineland-Palatinate, a 29-year-old man attacked the local police station with a machete and a knife. In accordance with the results of the investigation, the attack is classified as Islamistically motivated, according to the Attorney General Koblenz. Fortunately, all police officers remained unharmed in the incident.

At 2:40 a.m. the attacker entered the guard and repeatedly called "Allahu Akbar", which "God is great". He threatened to kill the police. In response to the threat, the officials immediately granted access controls on the entrance door and the safety lock to prevent the man from escaping.

arrest from special units

The situation escalated quickly and emergency services from special units were mobilized. These arrested the suspect in the sealed safety lock, with an electric shock being used by a taser to control the aggressive man. He suffered minor injuries.

In the course of further investigations, the police found a drawn flag of the terrorist organization of Islamic State on the wall in the accused's apartment. Due to this significant evidence, the state central office to combat terrorism and extremism Rhineland-Palatinate took over the investigation. The 29-year-old, an Albanian citizen, is now to be brought in front of a judge who will decide on the need for custody.

Linz am Rhein is located in the district of Neuwied in the north of Rhineland-Palatinate, in the immediate vicinity of the state border with North Rhine-Westphalia. This region is not only known for its idyllic landscape, but is now also evident in the shade of a potential terrorist incident.

The explosiveness of these events is reinforced by another being. On Thursday, an 18-year-old man from Austria was shot by the police in an attack on the Israeli Consulate General in Munich. He was suspected of having radicalized religiously, with a ban on weapons against him that could be lifted at the earliest in 2028. These developments are highlighting the current challenges in the fight against extremism in Europe and the need to strengthen educational and prevention measures.

The incidents in Linz am Rhein and Munich illustrate the persistent danger from radicalized individuals and the necessary attention that security authorities must devote them to these threats. While the attack in Linz went out lightly, the shock about the threat of the life of the civil servants and the challenges that such radical acts bring with it remains noticeable.