German court orders prison sentence for Afghan-born man after knife attack at anti-political Islam event

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — A German court on Saturday ordered the pre-trial detention of a 25-year-old Afghan-born man on suspicion of involvement in a knife attack at an event organized by a group opposed to “political Islam” that left six people injured.

Among the victims was a police officer who was in hospital with life-threatening injuries after being stabbed while trying to intervene, police and prosecutors said in a joint statement.

Officials did not provide any information about the motive for the attack on Friday at Mannheim’s central square.

In a statement from the police and public prosecutor’s office, it was said that the suspect had been living in Germany since 2014, was married and had two children. His apartment in the town of Heppenheim was searched on Friday evening and the police seized digital devices, the contents of which are currently being evaluated.

Officials said the suspect, who was shot and wounded by police, was hospitalized and not in a condition to be questioned. They said he had no criminal record.

They did not provide any information about the suspect’s citizenship or immigration status or how he came to Germany.

The Pax Europa group describes itself as an organisation that informs the public about the dangers posed by the “increasing spread and influence of political Islam”. Among those injured was Michael Stürzenberger, an anti-Islamist activist who is one of the group’s leading figures and has spoken at its events.

Stürzenberger, 59, posted a picture of himself from his hospital bed on his Telegram channel, showing a long, bandaged cut on his upper lip and cheek. He said he had suffered “significant blood loss” from a stab wound in his thigh and a cut on his jaw, which had been closed with staples.

The other victims are five men aged 25, 36, 42 and 54. The 25-year-old has already been released from hospital, the others are still being treated. The 54-year-old initially suffered life-threatening injuries, but is now out of danger.

The Associated Press