10 May 2016

Germany: deadly knife attack at train station

A man who stabbed a passenger to death at a German train station and injured three others appeared to have mental health problems, according to the authorities.

Initially, police said witnesses had heard the attacker, who targeted commuters at a station near Munich, shout ‘Allahu Akbar’ (‘God is Greatest’ in Arabic).

But Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann later said there were no indications he had a migrant background.

He added that the man had been seen in a different part of Germany a few days ago and was suspected of using drugs. His behaviour had suggested he could be mentally disturbed.

A 27-year-old man was arrested at the scene and there are no other suspects.

A 50-year-old died of stab wounds in hospital shortly after being attacked on a train. The other stabbed men, aged between 43 and 58, sustained serious injuries.

The attack took place at about 5am local time at the train station at Grafing, a commuter town 20 miles from the Bavarian capital in southern Germany.