The man who drove into a crowd in Munich on Thursday has reportedly said his actions were intentional, according to a public prosecutor at a press conference on Friday. Officials added that the act was likely religiously motivated.
At around 10:30 on Thursday, a man drove into a crowd gathered for a trade union demonstration near Stiglmaierplatz in Munich. The incident left 36 people injured, two of whom are in critical condition, said deputy police chief Christian Huber on Friday. Among the seriously injured victims is a young child, Huber added.
The driver was immediately detained on site. Local police initially identified him as a 24-year-old Afghan asylum seeker known to the police for shoplifting and drug offences. However, the police later confirmed that the Afghan national had arrived in Germany in 2016 as an asylum seeker, but now has a valid residence permit.
Police added that he was indeed known to authorities, but from preliminary proceedings in which he was called as a witness due to his previous job as a store detective.
The driver reportedly confessed to having intentionally driven into the crowd, according to public prosecutor Gabrielle Tillmann.
Local police official Guido Limmer told the press that they "were able to identify a certain Islamist orientation." According to Tillmann, the investigation currently suggests "a religious motivation."
Tilmann also cited the testimony of police officers, who stated that the driver shouted Allahu Akbar ("God is greater" or "God is [the] greatest" in Arabic), as evidence of a possible Islamist motive.
The incident occurred just over a week before the German national elections on 23 February, where migration has been a central topic.
