This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/10/people-injured-knife-attack-train-station-near-munich-grafing

The article has changed 11 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 6 Version 7
One dead, three injured in knife attack at train station near Munich One dead, three injured in knife attack at train station near Munich
(about 1 hour later)
One person has died and three others have been injured in knife attack at a train station in southern Germany. One person has died and three others have been injured after a man wielding a knife launched an attack at a train station in southern Germany.
Police arrested the suspected attacker after he was overpowered at the station in Grafing, 25 miles south-east of central Munich. Police arrested the suspected attacker after he was overpowered at the station in Grafing, 25 miles south-east of central Munich. A spokesman said the 56-year-old victim, whose age was initially given by authorities as 50, was wounded by the attacker on a commuter train and died later in hospital.
A spokesman said the 56-year-old victim, whose age was initially given by authorities as 50, was wounded by the attacker on a train and died in hospital. Three other men – aged 43, 55 and 58 – were also injured, one of whom is in a critical condition according to the police.
State interior minister Joachim Herrmann said the suspect, a 27-year-old German, apparently had psychological problems and drug issues, and that investigators have no indications of an Islamic extremist motive, though they are still looking at whether there was a political context to the attack. Bavaria’s interior minister, Joachim Herrmann, said the suspect, a 27-year-old German man from Hesse identified only as Paul H, apparently had psychological problems and drug issues. Despite earlier indications, an Islamic extremist motive was ruled out, though investigators are still looking at whether there was a political context to the attack.
This contradicted an earlier statement by a spokesman for the Bavarian prosecutors’ office, who said the suspect “made remarks at the scene of the crime that indicate a political motive – apparently an Islamist motive”. In an earlier statement a spokesman for the Bavarian prosecutors’ office had said the suspect “made remarks at the scene of the crime that indicate a political motive – apparently an Islamist motive”.
Police had said that according to unverified witness accounts, the suspect shouted “Allahu Akbar” (“God is greatest”) during the attack, which happened at about 5am local time (3am GMT). One investigator said he had expressed his desire to kill “infidels”.
Herrmann said after a cabinet meeting in Munich that the suspect has confessed to carrying out the attack, the news agency DPA reported. Police had said that according to initial unverified witness accounts, the suspect shouted “Allahu Akbar” (“God is greatest”) during the attack, which happened at about 5am local time (0300 GMT).
The railway station was cordoned off by police leading to restrictions on Munich’s S-Bahn rail network. Herrmann said after a cabinet meeting in Munich that the suspect had confessed to carrying out the attack, news agency DPA reported.
Angelika Obermayr, the mayor of Grafing, described it a “peaceful little Bavarian town”. “Something like this is absolutely new and shakes people deeply,” she said. “That it could happen here is absolutely stupefying.” One investigator told German media that Paul H gave them the impression of being extremely confused, and was being very uncooperative. “It’s as if he’s closed up,” the investigator said.
Speaking in Berlin, Germany’s interior minister, Thomas de Maiziere, called the incident a “cowardly attack”, adding that its motivation “has not been finally investigated” and that it was “important to ascertain all the correct details” before any conclusions were drawn.
The railway station was cordoned off by police leading to restrictions on Munich’s S-Bahn rail network. Large quantities of blood were visible on the floor of the train which stood with open doors on the platform as forensic scientists worked at the scene.
Angelika Obermayr, the mayor of Grafing, described it as “an absolutely peaceful little Bavarian town”. She said: “Something like this is absolutely new and shakes people deeply. That it could happen here is absolutely stupefying.”
Eyewitnesses described how the man had suddenly struck out at commuters, wielding a 10cm long blade and appearing to randomly stab at his victims. The first victim was struck down in the S-Bahn train, while another was attacked on the platform. The fourth and fifth victims were cyclists who had apparently come to give first aid to the earlier victims. One of their bikes could be seen abandoned on its side on the road in front of the station in an area cordoned off by police.
While the police said the suspect was not previously known to them, it has emerged that he came to their attention on Sunday at a techno demonstration when he was discovered with drugs which he had “consumed massively,” a spokesman said.
CCTV cameras at the railway station and on the train which recorded the incident are now being analysed by investigators.
Bavarian police are due to give more details at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.