The attacker has not been named, and he stabbed women who were unknown to him. While it is entirely possible that there is indeed no “terrorist motive” involved here, the attacks do conform to the jihadist modus operandi. The Islamic State issued this call in September 2014:
So O muwahhid, do not let this battle pass you by wherever you may be. You must strike the soldiers, patrons, and troops of the tawaghit. Strike their police, security, and intelligence members, as well as their treacherous agents. Destroy their beds. Embitter their lives for them and busy them with themselves. If you can kill a disbelieving American or European — especially the spiteful and filthy French — or an Australian, or a Canadian, or any other disbeliever from the disbelievers waging war, including the citizens of the countries that entered into a coalition against the Islamic State, then rely upon Allah, and kill him in any manner or way however it may be….If you are not able to find an IED or a bullet, then single out the disbelieving American, Frenchman, or any of their allies. Smash his head with a rock, or slaughter him with a knife, or run him over with your car, or throw him down from a high place, or choke him, or poison him….
Authorities have a long record of ignoring this call and claiming that jihad attacks were not jihad attacks even when the attacker was screaming “Allahu akbar.” This may not have been a jihad attack. But why haven’t authorities released the man’s name? The fact that he was born in Germany establishes nothing; Cherif Chekatt was born in Strasbourg.
“Man arrested in connection with knife attacks on three women in Nuremberg,” The Local, December 17, 2018:
A man has been arrested in connection with the horror knife attacks of three women in Nuremberg, Bavaria.
Police confirmed on Sunday that they had taken a 38-year-old German man into custody on Saturday afternoon.
The suspect had been discovered by a police patrol and was in possession of a knife. Investigators found DNA traces on the weapon and the victims’ clothing, reported the Berliner Morgenpost.
The police believe the alleged perpetrator acted alone. German media have been reporting that the suspect has remained silent over the allegations.
The suspect had no permanent residence but was last registered in Berlin. According to Bavaria’s Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann, he was born in Thuringia.
The man has already been convicted of 18 other crimes. A spokesperson for the police said they had ruled out a terrorist motive for the crime. In addition, the investigation has established that the alleged perpetrator and the victims did not know each other. The motive remains unclear.
As The Local reported, on Thursday three women were stabbed in separate attacks in the St. Johannis district of the city, generating a man hunt involving around 300 police officers.
The attacks happened within a few hours of each other. Around 7:20 p.m. a 56-year-old woman was stabbed in the upper body area and was taken to hospital.
Later, around 10:45 p.m, a 26-year-old woman, who was making her way home at the time, was also attacked with a knife just a few streets away.
Shortly afterwards, a 34-year-old woman was then also stabbed. The latter two women suffered life-threatening injuries, police said. All three underwent emergency surgery….