Ansbach explosion: Syrian suicide bomber pledged allegiance to Isis leader in phone video
Video strongly suggests the bombing is a 'terrorist attack' top security official says
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A video has been found on the Ansbach bomber's phone showing him pledging allegiance to the leader of Isis, Bavaria's top security official has said.
Joachim Herrmann said according to an initial translation of the Arabic-language video the 27-year-old man announced a "revenge" attack against Germany.
"A provisional translation by an interpreter shows that he expressly announces, in the name of Allah, and testifying his allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, a famous Islamist leader, an act of revenge against the Germans because they're getting in the way of Islam," he said at a news conference.
Mr Herrmann added: "I think that after this video there's no doubt that the attack was a terrorist attack with an Islamist background."
Isis has claimed responsibility for the attack through its Amaq News Agency.
The 27-year-old failed asylum seeker, who has been named in German media as Mohammad Daleel, detonated a device outside a crowded music festival, killing himself and injuring 15 others.
His rucksack contained sharp pieces of metal. Four of those injured are in a serious condition.
Officials also said police found violent videos and bomb-making material at his home.
Mr Herrmann said officers discovered videos with "Salafist content" on storage devices seized at the Syrian man's home.
He told reporters police also found gasoline, chemicals and other material that could be used to make a bomb.
Daleel had been living in Germany for two years and had received psychiatric treatment, including twice for attempted suicide, authorities said.
Last year his application or asylum was rejected by German authorities, though due to the Syrian civil war he had been allowed to stay in the country.
He was facing depotation to Bulgaria, a German interior ministry spokesman said.
"Syrians cannot at the moment be deported to Syria at the moment, but that doesn't mean that Syrians overall cannot be deported," Tobias Plate told a regular government news conference.
"The Syrian in Ansbach was facing deportation and this was to Bulgaria," he added.
The explosion is the fourth attack to hit Germany in a week, following Friday's massacre in Munich that left nine dead and dozens injured and an Isis-inspired axe rampage by a teenager last Monday.
On Sunday, a 21-year-old Syrian refugee was arrested after killing a pregnant woman and wounding two people with a machete in the southwestern city of Reutlingen, near Stuttgart.
Additional reporting by agencies
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments