Public prosecutor sees no Islamist motive

Hennigsdorf- After a knife attack on a Brandenburg motorway service station last weekend, a possible Islamist motive has not been confirmed, according to the public prosecutor's office.

According to the prosecution, drugs are also a possible trigger for the violent act.

On Saturday evening, a 57-year-old truck driver was critically injured by a man with a knife at the Stolper Heide rest stop near Hennigsdorf.

The 40-year-old alleged attacker fled on foot along the A111 after the attack and was arrested there. Witnesses said he shouted “Allahu Akbar”.

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The suspect is a German citizen with a migrant background. According to the authorities, he came to Germany as a small child.

Regarding the current status of the investigation, the Neuruppin public prosecutor's office said: “Although an Islamist background cannot be ruled out at this point in time, according to the current state of knowledge – with the exception of the exclamations – there is no reliable evidence of a politically or religiously motivated act.”

Rather, “a drug-induced excess of violence” is currently possible. The authorities did not provide any further information, citing the ongoing investigation. The suspect is in custody.