Prosecutors see Islamic extremist motive in Munich car-ramming attack

MUNICH (AP) — The suspect in the car-ramming attack in Munich that left more than 30 people injured appears to have had an Islamic extremist motive, but there’s no evidence that he was involved with any radical network, authorities said Friday.

The 24-year-old Afghan, who arrived in Germany as an asylum-seeker in 2016 and lived in Munich, was arrested after driving his Mini Cooper into the back of a labor union demonstration in the Bavarian city on Thursday. Police officers pulled him out of the car after firing a shot at the vehicle, which didn’t hit him, and arrested him.

Prosecutor Gabriele Tilmann said that the suspect said “Allahu Akbar,” or “God is great,” to police and then prayed after his arrest — which prompted a department that investigates extremism and terror to take on the case immediately.

In questioning, he admitted deliberately driving into the demonstration and “gave an explanation that I would summarize as religious motivation,” Tilmann said.

She didn’t give details, but added: “According to all we know at the moment, I would venture to speak of an Islamist motivation.”

The man had no previous convictions.

Police said that they know of 36 people who were injured in the attack, two of them very seriously and eight more seriously. Tilmann said the suspect is under investigation on 36 counts of attempted murder as well as bodily harm and dangerous interference with road traffic.

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier laid a flower at the scene of the attack Friday morning.