Lurer — Abdul Balut, the suspect in a vehicular and machete attack in Berlin, had previously been convicted of preparing a terrorist act and was sent to deradicalization courses. In 2025, he attempted to travel to Syria but was arrested in Lebanon and, as a German citizen, returned to his home country.
In May 2026, a Berlin court sentenced Balut to one year and ten months in prison for preparing a serious crime against state security, while the prosecution had demanded two years and ten months and appealed the decision. While the appeal was being reviewed, police monitored the man and intercepted his phone, but he remained free with an obligation to report to a supervising officer once a week. Balut voluntarily attended deradicalization counseling sessions, and his next appointment was scheduled for the day after the attack.
The attack left 29 people injured and one woman dead. Germany's Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt confirmed that this was an Islamist terrorist act. The suspect remains at large and is being sought across Europe, with authorities warning that he may be armed and dangerous.
