Germany’s Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt described the assault on the Christopher Street Day parade in Berlin, which resulted in one fatality and multiple injuries, as an "Islamist terrorist attack." Dobrindt made this statement at the crime scene in Tiergarten park, noting that the suspect, Abdul Ballout, is currently at large. An arrest warrant has been issued for Ballout, a 21-year-old German of Lebanese descent, and police are conducting searches across Berlin, including at train stations and airports.
Dobrindt reported that the suspect drove a van into a crowd and subsequently attacked individuals with a bladed weapon, believed to be a machete, resulting in one woman's death and 29 injuries, some of which are serious or life-threatening. The minister indicated that Ballout had a history of criminal offenses, radicalization, and prior convictions related to preparing a serious act of violence. He had also been mandated to attend counseling sessions as part of a de-radicalization program.
The manhunt for Ballout is ongoing, and Dobrindt advised that security measures should be enhanced for similar events in light of the attack. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz condemned the incident, emphasizing the need to protect societal openness and freedom against terrorism.