35-year-old Syrian man in Germany’s Bielefeld attack to appear in court

DÜSSELDORF (CONVERSEER) – The suspect in the recent attack in the western German city of Bielefeld is to be brought before a magistrate on Tuesday, authorities have said, as investigators continued to search for a motive.

According to dpa, the 35-year-old, a Syrian national from nearby Harsewinkel, was detained late on Monday near Düsseldorf and was slightly injured after resisting arrest.

The Bielefeld public prosecutor’s office has confirmed the man is the wanted suspect, with investigators having been alerted to the fugitive’s whereabouts by the public.

The attack occurred early on Sunday outside a bar near Bielefeld’s main train station, when a man used a sharp object to attack a group of five men, aged 22 to 27.

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Four were seriously injured, two of them initially in life-threatening condition, though their condition has since stabilised, a police spokeswoman said on Monday.

The group reportedly managed to fight off and injure the attacker before he fled.

Investigators are still not commenting on a possible motive for the offence.

According to information obtained by dpa from security sources, the suspect is believed to have had contact with Islamist circles.

During a search of the crime scene, police recovered several knives at the scene, along with a bag containing identity documents and a bottle filled with a liquid smelling like petrol. Police have not confirmed whether a knife was used in the attack.