Islamist Terrorist Attack at Berlin LGBTQ Event
Kanako Mita, Sawako Utsumi, and Lee Jay Walker
Modern Tokyo Times
Germany is once again reeling from a brutal Islamist terrorist attack, carried out yesterday, that claimed the life of one woman and left many others injured. Three victims are reportedly fighting for their lives, while others sustained injuries ranging from serious to minor. The attack deliberately targeted Berlin’s LGBTQ Pride celebrations — a chilling reminder that while sexual minorities continue to face persecution in many Islamist-controlled societies, including executions in Iran and lethal threats from Afghanistan to al-Shabaab areas in Somalia, Islamist extremism also seeks to impose its intolerance within Europe.
For Germany, this latest atrocity revives painful memories of previous Islamist terrorist attacks. Inevitably, many citizens will ask how much was already known about the suspect and whether this tragedy could have been prevented.
Al Jazeera reports, “Hundreds of thousands of people had come to the city to participate in the parade, known in Germany as Christopher Street Day. It is one of Europe’s largest LGBTQ celebrations.”
Berlin’s Mayor, Kai Wegner, expressed his shock and condemnation, stating, “following a peaceful and vibrant Pride parade, the rally for a tolerant and peaceful Berlin was attacked in the most brutal manner.”
He added, “This is an attack on our free and cosmopolitan society.”
The BBC reports, “Several people are also reported to have been stabbed in the attack, which happened shortly before 22:00 local time in Tiergarten park, near the Brandenburg Gate.”
German police have confirmed that the suspect was already known within Islamist circles in Germany. Once again, this follows a deeply troubling pattern in which individuals previously identified by the authorities for Islamist extremism later go on to commit acts of terrorism. It is therefore unsurprising that many Germans are questioning why these warning signs so often fail to prevent such attacks.
The Guardian reports, “Police and prosecutors asked for help in finding the 21-year-old, whom they identified as Abdul B. They said he was believed to have injured several people with a moving vehicle on Saturday night, and that one or more people apparently then left that vehicle. Several people were also apparently stabbed, they added.”
Dominik Pretz, spokesperson for the Berlin Fire Department, confirmed that “three have life-threatening injuries.”
Foreign ministers and political leaders across Europe quickly expressed their solidarity with Germany.
The United Kingdom’s Foreign Secretary, Ed Miliband, stated: “My thoughts are with all those affected, and the entire LGBT+ community. The values of openness, tolerance and freedom are what unite us.”
Alice Weidel, leader of Alternative for Germany (AfD), asked last year, “When will this madness end?”
The attack will inevitably renew scrutiny of Germany’s immigration and security policies, including those pursued during the tenure of former Chancellor Angela Merkel and successive governments. Critics argue that repeated failures to identify, monitor, and remove Islamist extremists have allowed the terrorist threat to grow, leaving German society increasingly vulnerable.
Ordinary Muslims in Germany are equally entitled to demand stronger action against Islamism. Many fled the brutality of Islamist movements in Iraq, Syria, and elsewhere. Alawites, Christians, Yazidis, and other persecuted communities know firsthand the devastation wrought by Islamist extremism and are dismayed to witness similar ideologies inspiring terrorist attacks in Germany.
Ultimately, indigenous Germans, naturalized citizens, genuine refugees, and law-abiding migrants all share the same interest: living in a society protected from violent extremism. Safeguarding that society requires effective vetting, robust counterterrorism measures, and the political resolve to confront Islamist terrorism before it claims yet more innocent lives.
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