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| After Attack on German Train, Fears Over Refugees, and From Them, Too | After Attack on German Train, Fears Over Refugees, and From Them, Too |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| WEIMAR, Germany — Residents of Weimar flocked to the German city’s central park to escape unusually scorching heat this week, setting up picnics and watching bees skitter across the wildflowers near a placid reflecting pool. | WEIMAR, Germany — Residents of Weimar flocked to the German city’s central park to escape unusually scorching heat this week, setting up picnics and watching bees skitter across the wildflowers near a placid reflecting pool. |
| But for two Syrians also soaking up the sun, who recently arrived in this eastern city of 65,000, the summer idyll belied deeper worries after news of an attack on a passenger train by a fellow migrant. | But for two Syrians also soaking up the sun, who recently arrived in this eastern city of 65,000, the summer idyll belied deeper worries after news of an attack on a passenger train by a fellow migrant. |
| “When you hear about something like this, like this attack, you are naturally just a little afraid,” said Hanan Alderzy, 28, who arrived in Weimar three months ago from the central Syrian town of Masyaf. “Will people treat you differently?” | “When you hear about something like this, like this attack, you are naturally just a little afraid,” said Hanan Alderzy, 28, who arrived in Weimar three months ago from the central Syrian town of Masyaf. “Will people treat you differently?” |
| She said she understood the fears of her new German neighbors. But, she added, it would be wrong to blame the actions of one refugee on all refugees. “A man must be known by his name, not where he came from,” she said. | She said she understood the fears of her new German neighbors. But, she added, it would be wrong to blame the actions of one refugee on all refugees. “A man must be known by his name, not where he came from,” she said. |
| It is unclear how fully Germans are prepared to embrace such advice after the episode on Monday evening, when a 17-year-old attacked passengers bound for Würzberg with an ax and knife, wounding five, two critically, before being killed himself by the police. | It is unclear how fully Germans are prepared to embrace such advice after the episode on Monday evening, when a 17-year-old attacked passengers bound for Würzberg with an ax and knife, wounding five, two critically, before being killed himself by the police. |
| After hundreds of sexual assaults on New Year’s Eve in Cologne apparently involving male migrants from North Africa, Germany was convulsed over whether such ugly cultural clashes would become standard fare in a country that accepted more than 800,000 asylum seekers last year from the Middle East and elsewhere. | After hundreds of sexual assaults on New Year’s Eve in Cologne apparently involving male migrants from North Africa, Germany was convulsed over whether such ugly cultural clashes would become standard fare in a country that accepted more than 800,000 asylum seekers last year from the Middle East and elsewhere. |
| Now, the concern is that this apparent lone-wolf attack on strangers riding a regional train could inspire a fresh round of second-guessing about whether Germany had made a fatal error in accepting so many immigrants. | |
| “It was only one lonely person who did this,” said Heiko Clajus, who was also in the park and who works on a series of memorial projects at the site of the former Buchenwald concentration camp on the outskirts of Weimar. | “It was only one lonely person who did this,” said Heiko Clajus, who was also in the park and who works on a series of memorial projects at the site of the former Buchenwald concentration camp on the outskirts of Weimar. |
| “You can’t really pin this on refugees in general and say, ‘Oh, all refugees are responsible and must be feared,’ ” he said. “But it is troubling that we had such an incident in Germany.” | “You can’t really pin this on refugees in general and say, ‘Oh, all refugees are responsible and must be feared,’ ” he said. “But it is troubling that we had such an incident in Germany.” |
| The young attacker on the train has not been identified by officials, but he was widely named in the German news media as Riaz Khan Ahmadzai. | The young attacker on the train has not been identified by officials, but he was widely named in the German news media as Riaz Khan Ahmadzai. |
| On Wednesday, Germany’s federal police said they had confirmed the authenticity of a video attributed to him by the Islamic State, which called him one of its soldiers. | On Wednesday, Germany’s federal police said they had confirmed the authenticity of a video attributed to him by the Islamic State, which called him one of its soldiers. |
| “The foster family were able to identify it, that he had filmed it in the room in their home where he had lived, in that they recognized the background,” Joachim Herrmann, interior minister for the state of Bavaria, said on Wednesday. “We are absolutely sure, the video is authentic.” | |
| The assessment supports the idea that the teenager had been radicalized quickly; he moved in with the family only several weeks ago. | The assessment supports the idea that the teenager had been radicalized quickly; he moved in with the family only several weeks ago. |
| Thomas de Maizière, Germany’s interior minister, spoke of the attacker as having been “incited” by Islamic State propaganda. But he played down the significance of the video, describing it as being similar to a normal suicide video. | Thomas de Maizière, Germany’s interior minister, spoke of the attacker as having been “incited” by Islamic State propaganda. But he played down the significance of the video, describing it as being similar to a normal suicide video. |
| “This is perhaps a case that falls into the gray zone between a rampage and an act of terror,” Mr. de Maizière said. | “This is perhaps a case that falls into the gray zone between a rampage and an act of terror,” Mr. de Maizière said. |
| Before this week, the young man had shown no signs of violence. He arrived in Germany last year as an unaccompanied minor, saying he was from Afghanistan, although officials now say he may have been from Pakistan. | Before this week, the young man had shown no signs of violence. He arrived in Germany last year as an unaccompanied minor, saying he was from Afghanistan, although officials now say he may have been from Pakistan. |
| He had appeared to be integrating well, having been placed in foster care rather than in a group home. But apparently, after news of the death of a close friend back home last week, he became disturbed and rapidly radicalized, German officials said. | He had appeared to be integrating well, having been placed in foster care rather than in a group home. But apparently, after news of the death of a close friend back home last week, he became disturbed and rapidly radicalized, German officials said. |
| “It’s not good,” said Rainer Wernicke, leader of the Green Party for the state of Thuringia, which includes Weimar, as he also wandered through the sun-baked park in the center of the city. “The atmosphere in this country is not comforting.” | “It’s not good,” said Rainer Wernicke, leader of the Green Party for the state of Thuringia, which includes Weimar, as he also wandered through the sun-baked park in the center of the city. “The atmosphere in this country is not comforting.” |
| Mr. Wernicke said he expected the attack to have a “similar impact” to that of the Cologne assaults — making Germans more wary of accepting Muslim refugees and strengthening the hand of anti-immigrant parties. | Mr. Wernicke said he expected the attack to have a “similar impact” to that of the Cologne assaults — making Germans more wary of accepting Muslim refugees and strengthening the hand of anti-immigrant parties. |
| Peter Altmaier, the chief of staff for Chancellor Angela Merkel, said in an interview on German television that, despite Monday’s attack, all available evidence showed that refugees were no more likely to be involved in violent episodes than anyone else. | Peter Altmaier, the chief of staff for Chancellor Angela Merkel, said in an interview on German television that, despite Monday’s attack, all available evidence showed that refugees were no more likely to be involved in violent episodes than anyone else. |
| “Most of the terrorists who have carried out attacks in Europe over the past few months were not refugees,” he said. “They were people who were born here and who grew up here.” | “Most of the terrorists who have carried out attacks in Europe over the past few months were not refugees,” he said. “They were people who were born here and who grew up here.” |
| But a statement by the Alternative for Germany, a right-wing party that has gained ground politically this year with its hard-line anti-immigrant stance, quickly tied the train attack to Ms. Merkel’s “welcoming policies,” which, the party said, “had brought too many young, uneducated and radical Muslim men to Germany.” | But a statement by the Alternative for Germany, a right-wing party that has gained ground politically this year with its hard-line anti-immigrant stance, quickly tied the train attack to Ms. Merkel’s “welcoming policies,” which, the party said, “had brought too many young, uneducated and radical Muslim men to Germany.” |
| Cem Ozdemir, a national chairman of Alliance ’90/The Greens, said that if people did descend into fear and took out their worries on refugees, it would be counterproductive, giving Islamic radicals exactly the outcome they desired. | Cem Ozdemir, a national chairman of Alliance ’90/The Greens, said that if people did descend into fear and took out their worries on refugees, it would be counterproductive, giving Islamic radicals exactly the outcome they desired. |
| Germany, he said, is at a crossroads. It can react “irrationally,” by building up its “police state” to contain and control the migrants, or it can act “with rationality,” by exchanging intelligence more freely with other European nations to help identify violent and radicalized people before they strike. | Germany, he said, is at a crossroads. It can react “irrationally,” by building up its “police state” to contain and control the migrants, or it can act “with rationality,” by exchanging intelligence more freely with other European nations to help identify violent and radicalized people before they strike. |
| “Let’s face it, there is no easy answer,” Mr. Ozdemir said. “If this is not a proof of why we need Europe, I don’t know what is. No single country can tackle this alone. We need Europe to do that.” | “Let’s face it, there is no easy answer,” Mr. Ozdemir said. “If this is not a proof of why we need Europe, I don’t know what is. No single country can tackle this alone. We need Europe to do that.” |
| Like cities across Germany, Weimar, famous as the center of Germany’s literary golden age, home to Goethe and Schiller, has had to accept its allotted batch of refugees — about 900 of them in Weimar’s case. | Like cities across Germany, Weimar, famous as the center of Germany’s literary golden age, home to Goethe and Schiller, has had to accept its allotted batch of refugees — about 900 of them in Weimar’s case. |
| One of them, Lemar Poya, 25, from Afghanistan, lounged on a blanket in the shade at the park, munching on picnic food prepared by Syrian women. | |
| Mr. Poya said he worried that some of the Germans he had met in the months he had been in Weimar would now see him differently. | Mr. Poya said he worried that some of the Germans he had met in the months he had been in Weimar would now see him differently. |
| “I was very sad, and concerned,” he said about his feelings upon hearing of the attack. “Will all Afghans be blamed? I hope not. All I want is to learn the German language and to get work and make a life here.” | “I was very sad, and concerned,” he said about his feelings upon hearing of the attack. “Will all Afghans be blamed? I hope not. All I want is to learn the German language and to get work and make a life here.” |
| While acknowledging that a terrorism-related episode was possible — perhaps likely — many Germans had consoled themselves that, before Monday, there had been none of the type of violence that has hit France and Belgium. | While acknowledging that a terrorism-related episode was possible — perhaps likely — many Germans had consoled themselves that, before Monday, there had been none of the type of violence that has hit France and Belgium. |
| They saw it as a consequence of Germany’s being more welcoming and integrating than those countries. Now, though, they are not so sure. | They saw it as a consequence of Germany’s being more welcoming and integrating than those countries. Now, though, they are not so sure. |
| “I am really sad right now, because I thought Germany wouldn’t be the target of such attacks anytime soon, because Germany has tried so hard to help the refugees,” said Micha Ott, a graphic designer. “Now, I hope it won’t get harder for the refugees.” | “I am really sad right now, because I thought Germany wouldn’t be the target of such attacks anytime soon, because Germany has tried so hard to help the refugees,” said Micha Ott, a graphic designer. “Now, I hope it won’t get harder for the refugees.” |
| “But,” he added, “we have to face the fact that with this happening here in Germany, the Germans are frightened now.” | “But,” he added, “we have to face the fact that with this happening here in Germany, the Germans are frightened now.” |