Ansbach Blast, Munich Shooting Raise Fears in Germany

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A bomb attack last night in the town of Ansbach, by a 27-year-old Syrian denied asylum left at least 12 wounded and comes after a mass killing last Friday in Munich, by an 18-year-old, which left nine dead and dozens injured, raising alarm in Germany, in view of the growing number of terror strikes across Europe.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel expressed her condolences at a news conference in Berlin adding that “We live together in a liberal society. This freedom is our greatest strength.”

Friday’s shooting took place a McDonald’s branch in Munich’s biggest shopping center, the Olympia mall, frequented by youths. Most of the victims were between 14 and 20, while a 45-year-old was also killed. A Greek citizen was also among the dead, the Greek Foreign Ministry said on Saturday. 

The German-Iranian gunman, who was found to be mentally disturbed and who apparently had no connections with terror groups, shot himself.

Sunday’s bombing at a summer music festival was the fourth violent incident in Germany in a week. The Syrian man died when he set off the explosive device.

“It’s a further, horrific attack that will increase the already growing security concerns of our citizens. We must do everything possible to prevent the spread of such violence in our country by people who came here to ask for asylum,” Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann said during a news conference early on Monday.

The United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) offered its condolences to the families and friends of the victims.