A 24-year-old Afghan asylum seeker, suspected of carrying out the deadly attack in Munich, did not fit any of the risk profiles used by security authorities, according to Bavaria’s Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann. “In the end, there was nothing that would have given reason to pay attention to this man” Herrmann told the Welt newspaper. “There were no special notations in the lead-up to the event.”
The Afghan asylum seeker drove his car into a demonstration in the heart of Munich, injuring dozens of people and killing a two-year-old child and a 37-year-old mother who succumbed to their severe injuries.
The extent to which the man radicalized online without leaving a trace is a crucial part of the investigation by the special commission, Herrmann said. “Perhaps it is important today to consider how we can further develop the legal possibilities to block or delete extremist, violence-glorifying, or even inciting violence online content.” The existing measures still fell short, he added. “Above all, on the European level, we need a more decisive approach. Given the conflicting fundamental rights, there is a need for a responsible balancing act.”
Herrmann acknowledged that the state is currently overwhelmed in dealing with asylum seekers. The sheer number of arrivals is not manageable. “In the end, our already very organized administrations and security authorities are not equipped to handle such an enormous influx. Due to the existing overload, mistakes can occur, such as transmission errors.” Herrmann called for immediate rejections at Germany’s borders and regular deportation flights.