Suspect Indicted for Stabbing Incident at Berlin's Holocaust Memorial
In a significant shift in immigration policy, the new German government, led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz, has begun deporting Syrians convicted of criminal offenses. This move follows Austria's example and a coalition agreement provision to start deportations to Syria with offenders and individuals considered security threats.
The resumption of deportations, which have been suspended since 2012, became feasible after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime, providing German authorities with a new perspective when assessing deportations. The Federal Ministry of the Interior has directed the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) to focus on "dangerous Syrian citizens and criminals," emphasizing that serious criminal convictions nullify refugee protection status and can lead to deportation.
The first reported deportations took place shortly after Germany’s Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt announced the approach in May 2025. Although no formal bilateral agreements between Germany and Syria currently exist, authorities appear to have reached case-specific arrangements or indirect routes, such as via Turkey, to facilitate deportations.
This policy is part of a broader commitment by the coalition government to deport individuals from countries including Afghanistan and Syria, primarily targeting criminals and those considered threats to security.
Meanwhile, a tragic incident occurred in Berlin ahead of the German general election. A suspect, identified as Wassim Al M., seriously injured a 30-year-old man at a landmark, the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe. It is alleged that the suspect traveled from Leipzig to Berlin with the intention of targeting "alleged infidels" who he viewed as representatives of a Western form of society. The suspect has been charged with causing serious bodily harm and attempted membership of a foreign terrorist organization. He is currently in pre-trial detention.
The incident was one of a series of attacks blamed on foreign nationals that sparked a debate about immigration. The general election saw a doubling in the vote-share for the far-right, anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD).
As the German government continues to address immigration and security concerns, Taliban envoys are expected to visit Germany to discuss deportations. The Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, a somber grid of concrete steles located near the Brandenburg Gate and the US embassy in Berlin, serves as a poignant reminder of the complexities and sensitivities surrounding these issues.
- The German government's focus on deporting dangerous Syrian citizens and criminals, as directed by the Federal Ministry of the Interior, follows a broader commitment to remove individuals from countries including Syria and Afghanistan, aiming primarily at criminals and security threats.
- Amidst a resumption of deportations, including those of Syrians convicted of criminal offenses, and the ongoing debate about immigration, Taliban envoys are expected to visit Germany to discuss deportation matters, highlighting the complexities and sensitivities surrounding these issues.
