Karlsruhe, Germany - The recent knife attack in Solingen, which claimed the lives of three people and injured five others, has reignited a national debate on the regulation of knives in Germany. The attack has led Interior Minister Nancy Faeser to advocate for stricter controls on knives, highlighting the ease with which these weapons can be acquired and used in violent crimes. "We need stronger regulations on weapons that can be easily obtained and used to commit brutal crimes," Faeser stated, emphasizing the urgency of the issue in light of the Solingen incident.

Germany has seen a significant rise in knife-related crimes, with over 10,000 incidents reported in 2023 alone, marking a more than 12% increase from the previous year. These attacks are no longer limited to common criminal activities such as robberies or fights but have expanded to include jihadist terrorism and assaults on police officers and public service workers.

Faeser's call for tighter knife regulations has received support from her Social Democratic Party (SPD) and their coalition partners, the Greens. However, the Free Democrats (FDP), another party in the governing coalition, have expressed reservations about the proposed measures. The conservative opposition bloc has gone even further, suggesting a complete ban on carrying knives in public. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has also weighed in, using the debate to argue that a significant portion of knife-related crimes are committed by foreigners or irregular migrants.

Arrest Ordered for Suspect in Solingen Attack

In the wake of the attack, the Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe has ordered the arrest of the primary suspect. The 26-year-old Syrian national, who is accused of carrying out the attack, was transported to the court under heavy security, including a helicopter escort. He now faces charges of murder, attempted murder, and alleged involvement with the jihadist group Islamic State (IS), which has claimed responsibility for the attack.

This case marks the beginning of a formal terrorism investigation by German authorities.

The suspect had been living in Germany since late 2022 after applying for asylum. Although he was not previously known to German security services as an Islamist extremist, it has emerged that he was subject to an outstanding deportation order to Bulgaria, where he initially entered the European Union. The deportation, which was scheduled to take place last year, was postponed after he was reported missing in June 2023 while staying in a shelter in Paderborn. He resurfaced a few weeks later, but no further action was taken due to his lack of a criminal record at the time.