Published by Global Banking and Finance Review
Posted on September 12, 2025
1 min readLast updated: January 21, 2026
German prosecutors investigate a suspected Islamist stabbing in Essen, where a Kosovar national injured two people, raising security concerns.
BERLIN (Reuters) -German federal prosecutors said on Friday that they had taken over an investigation into a suspected Islamist attempt to murder two people in the city of Essen last week.
The suspect, a Kosovar national named only as Erjon S to protect his privacy, is accused of attempting to kill a teacher he was acquainted with in a vocational college on Sept 5 before stabbing a bystander on the street in the back.
The "criminally responsible youth" then allegedly walked to the Old Synagogue in Essen looking for further victims, which he failed to encounter, prosecutors said in a statement.
Both victims were seriously injured in the attack and the suspect sustained a gunshot wound during his arrest.
"The accused acted out of a radical Islamist conviction directed against Germany's liberal society," the statement said, adding that his attack had undermined security in the country.
The federal prosecutor's office assumes jurisdiction over cases when there is a suspected Islamist or national security component.
(Writing by Friederike Heine; editing by Matthias Williams)
An Islamist attack refers to a violent act motivated by extremist interpretations of Islam, often targeting individuals or groups perceived as opposing their beliefs or ideologies.
A prosecutor is a legal representative of the state who brings charges against individuals accused of crimes, presenting evidence in court to seek a conviction.
A stabbing incident involves an attack where a person is injured by a sharp object, typically a knife, which can result in serious injuries or fatalities.
Radicalism refers to the beliefs or actions of individuals or groups advocating for fundamental changes in society, often through extreme measures or ideologies.
National security is the protection of a nation's borders, interests, and citizens from threats, including terrorism, espionage, and other forms of violence.
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