No Oversights in Solingen Knife Attacker's Asylum Process, According to Faeser
BAMF's operations under scrutiny following Solingen attack: Faeser's assessment - Fiuser's Response regarding Solingen Incident: Thorough Inspection at BAMF
In the case of Issa Al H., the suspected knife attacker in the bloody event at the "Festival of Diversity" in Solingen, there were no glaring mistakes in his asylum process by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), as per Nancy Faeser, former Interior Minister. "Based on the available info, no visible missteps at BAMF are apparent," the SPD politician asserted in the investigative committee of the North Rhine-Westphalian state parliament regarding the Islamist-driven attack.
Prior to the attack on August 23, 2023, the suspect was unbeknownst to the BAMF's security department. They found no irregularities in the asylum application. No police- or state security-relevant info about this individual was held by the Federal Criminal Police Office or the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution.
IS-Inspired Attack Claims Three Lives
In the attack, three visitors were brutally stabbed to death by a knife-wielding attacker at the city's "Festival of Diversity" for the 650th anniversary. The Islamist attacker, a 27-year-old Syrian, has been in custody since then. The IS claimed responsibility for the attack.
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The investigative committee is intensively probing potential oversights and blunders by the state government while examining structural deficiencies in deportations and returns to other EU countries. One of the inquiries pertains to why the planned return of Issa Al H. to Bulgaria flopped.
Lost in the System
Faeser detailed the sequence of events. According to her, BAMF submitted a return request to Bulgaria in a timely and organized manner, with Bulgaria agreeing to the request. BAMF then rejected the asylum application as inadmissible. The Central Aliens Authority (ZAB) in Bielefeld attempted to return Issa Al H. without notice, but couldn't locate him on that day. No further attempts were made by the ZAB, Faeser claimed.
"If someone isn't found once, unannounced, they don't qualify as 'absconding' under the European Dublin-III Regulation. As a result, the 18-month extension of the return period, which is common practice, wasn't possible," Faeser pointed out. "The return period to Bulgaria expired on August 20, 2023, thus paving the way for the asylum procedure to transition to Germany."
In his personal hearing, Issa Al H. stated that he had evaded military service in Syria and aimed to improve his economic situation. "The asylum decision rendered by BAMF aligns with the Syrian country's decision-making practice at the time," Faeser commented.
Solingen Attack Sparks Security Measures
Following the Solingen terrorist attack, the federal government promptly agreed on a security package comprising far-reaching measures to bolster public protection, Faeser underlined. Many initiatives were already underway before the incident.
Measures Taken: - Stricter Gun Control: Gun laws were tightened. - Knife Ban Zones: New knife ban zones were introduced. - Immigration Overhaul: A suite of immigration measures designed to expedite the deportation of criminals was implemented. Authorities gained the power to search all rooms in asylum accommodation before deportations.
Constantly Evolving System:Fact remains, the system still harbors many imperfections when it comes to handling and distributing asylum applicants within Europe, according to Faeser. Many countries, as mandated by the Dublin procedure, refuse to accept back refugees or impose stringent conditions reminiscent of low weekly quotas and narrow timing windows.
Faeser dropped by the Solingen scene the day after the incident to assess the situation firsthand. "Although a 100% secure environment might not be achievable in a free democracy, you can count on all feasible measures being taken to thwart terrorist attacks," the politician confirmed.
- Nancy Faeser
- Bamf
- Issa Al H.
- Terrorism
- Asylum Process
- Düsseldorf
- Solingen
- Bulgaria
- Parliamentary Inquiry Committee
- Asylum
- Germany
- Knife Attack
- Refugees
- SPD
- BKA
- Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
- Festival
- Syria
- EU
- Nancy Faeser, the former Interior Minister, asserts that there were no apparent oversights in the asylum process of Issa Al H., the suspected knife attacker in the Solingen incident, according to the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF).
- Prior to the attack, Issa Al H. was unknown to BAMF's security department, and no irregularities were found in his asylum application.
- In the investigative committee of the North Rhine-Westphalian state parliament, Faeser explains that BAMF submitted a return request to Bulgaria, but the Central Aliens Authority (ZAB) in Bielefeld was unable to locate him for his planned return, resulting in the expiration of the return period and the transition of the asylum procedure to Germany.
- Following the Solingen terrorist attack, the federal government implemented stricter gun control, knife ban zones, and an immigration overhaul to expedite the deportation of criminals, among other measures.
- Faeser acknowledges that the system for handling and distributing asylum applicants within Europe, as mandated by the Dublin procedure, still has many imperfections, with many countries refusing to accept back refugees or imposing stringent conditions.
