Spotlight: Germany not rule out terrorism link to Ansbach explosion, under pressure to tighten refugee policy

The German government said Monday a terrorism link to the suicide bomb attack in southern Germany on Sunday night could not be ruled out, pledging to take measures to protect its citizens, while warning against suspicion against the overall group of refugees.

German Interior Minister Thomas De Maiziere told a press conference here that the investigation into the attack outside a music festival in Ansbach, a city in the southern German state of Bavaria, was still in the early stages.

"It could not be ruled out that it had a connection with international terrorism," he said. The attacker, a 27-year-old Syrian who had been denied asylum in Germany, might also have had a mental disorder.

It could be "a combination of both," he added.

Fifteen people were injured in the explosion, which only killed the attacker himself, according to the latest information provided by police. Four people were in serious condition.

Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann told a separate press conference in Nuremberg on Monday that a video was found on the attacker's mobile phone. In the video, the Syrian referred to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the terrorism militant organization Islamic State, and announced a "revenge" against Germany. Police also found numerous materials to make bombs in his room.

According to De Maiziere, the Syrian arrived in Germany two years ago and applied for asylum protection in August 2014. His application was rejected by Germany in December 2014, as officials found similar applications he had made in Bulgaria and Austria.

Germany had tried to deport him to Bulgaria, where his asylum application had been approved, said De Maiziere. However, the man managed to stay in Germany because he had medical certificates which proved his mental instability.

The attacker had tried to commit suicide twice, according to De Maiziere, and received temporary treatment in a psychiatric hospital.

The explosion was the fourth violent attack within the past week, and happened just hours after a 21-year-old Syrian refugee killed a pregnant Polish woman and injured two people with a machete in Reutlingen, another city in the southern German state of Bavaria.

"I understand that many people are worried," De Maizere said, "I can assure you that our rule of law is strong and remains strong."

He added that Germany had increased the presence of federal police at airports and train stations, and the security authorities would do everything to prevent such violence from happening again.

Constant attacks have shocked Germany. Earlier last week, a 17-year-old Afghan asylum-seeker attacked passengers with an axe on a train near Wuerzburg, wounding five people before being shot dead by police. As well, a gun attack in Munich on Friday led to the deaths of nine victims.

German police union chief Rainer Wendt on Monday morning urged for the control of refugees coming to Germany, saying it should be tightened in order to limit potential security risks.

"Neither the identities of all people that have come to us, nor their mental and physical condition are clarified," he criticized.

Over one million refugees entered Germany last year under Germany's open-door refugee policy.

"It is more important that we not only accommodate and feed the people, but also determine who is coming to our country and see exactly whether they pose potential risks," Wendt said.

However, De Maizere warned against suspicion against the overall group of refugees. "The vast majority come to Germany live here in peace," he told reporters in Berlin, adding that no decision on changing current laws would be made before results of the ongoing investigation come out. Endit