According to the German newspaper Bild, the perpetrator of the Berlin pride terrorist attack, Abduls Baluts, pledged allegiance to the terrorist group Islamic State in a video recorded on the day of the atrocity. The 21-year-old German citizen of Lebanese origin carried out the attack in Berlin’s Tiergarten district, killing a 65-year-old Polish female citizen and injuring 29 other people before being shot dead by police.
Video Evidence and Attack Method
The video was found on Baluts’s phone, which investigators recovered from the rented minivan used to plough into the crowd near the pride event location, as reported by Bild. Investigators also found a machete sheath next to the phone. According to Bild, Baluts used the machete to attack people after stepping out of the vehicle during the Saturday evening assault.
Previous Criminal Record and Legal Proceedings
Baluts previously traveled to Lebanon last year with the intention of traveling onward to Syria to fight in the ranks of the Islamic State, though that plan did not materialize. An official source within the Lebanese judiciary told the Agence France-Presse (AFP) news agency that Baluts was sentenced to three months in prison in Lebanon for belonging to the Islamic State.
Following his return to Germany, Baluts was detained by authorities. In May, a juvenile court found him guilty of planning a serious act of violence and handed down a suspended prison sentence of one year and ten months, according to available reporting.
Official Response and Investigation Status
German police operations on Sunday evening in Spandau, located in western Berlin, resulted in the fatal shooting of Baluts. Interior Minister Aleksandrs Dobrints stated on Sunday that the attack in Tiergarten was, by all appearances, an Islamist terrorist incident.
FAQ
Who carried out the Berlin Tiergarten attack?
According to German media and official statements, the attack was carried out by Abduls Baluts, a 21-year-old German citizen of Lebanese origin who was shot dead by police.
What groups or organizations were linked to the suspect?
A video found on the suspect’s phone showed him pledging allegiance to the Islamic State, and a Lebanese judicial source confirmed to AFP that he had previously served a three-month prison sentence in Lebanon for affiliation with the group.
What were the casualties of the attack?
The attack resulted in the death of a 65-year-old Polish female citizen, while 29 other individuals sustained injuries.
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