Russian searches hint at Kremlin link to Mannheim attack
Journalists from the German ZDF have investigated. They have revealed that the sites of attacks in Germany were searched on the Russian internet before they occurred. This suggests that the Kremlin might have had prior knowledge of these attacks.
What do you need to know?
- ZDF Investigation: Journalists from the German public broadcaster ZDF discovered that sites of attacks in Germany were being searched on the Russian internet before they happened.
- Attack in Mannheim: On May 31, 2024, a terrorist attack occurred in Mannheim, resulting in the death of a police officer and injuries to six people.
- Expert's Comment: Dr. Marek Madej from the University of Warsaw suggests that Russia may be using radical Islamist movements for its purposes.
What are the evidences of Russia's prior knowledge?
ZDF journalists revealed that a few days before the attack in Mannheim, there were searches on the Russian internet about terrorist attacks in Germany.
Phrases like "terrorist attack in Mannheim" and "attack in Germany" were being searched. Furthermore, there were inquiries about the anti-Islamic activist Michael Stürzenberger, who was indeed injured during the attack.
Journalists from ZDF emphasized that these clues do not provide direct evidence of a connection between the attacker, motivated by Islamic extremism, and Russian services. However, it is difficult to ignore this information given the hybrid attacks in Western Europe, which the Kremlin may inspire.
Is Russia using radical Islamist movements?
Dr. Marek Madej from the University of Warsaw highlighted in an interview with "Fakt" that Russia may be using individuals involved in radical Islamist movements for its own purposes.
"Individual radicalized units can be somehow 'picked up' by Kremlin services and further inspired by them to carry out attacks in countries considered hostile by Russia," the expert stated.
What risks are associated with supporting radicalization?
Dr. Marek Madej notes that supporting the radicalization of Muslims in the West could lead to a rise in similar sentiments in Russia.
"Hybrid operations pose a certain risk for Russia because if their mechanism is revealed, it becomes more difficult to carry them out again," the expert summarized.
Source: www.fakt.pl
