Terrorist Attack Sparks Christian Community's Reaction in Solingen

In the German city of Solingen, a memorial service was held on Sunday for the victims of a tragic knife attack that occurred during the city's 650th anniversary celebration on 24th August. The attack claimed the lives of a 56-year-old woman and two men aged 56 and 67, while eight other individuals, four of whom were seriously injured, are now out of danger.

The attack has sparked a heated debate about migration in Germany, with politicians from all parties calling for a tougher course in asylum policy and a limit on migration to the country. Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited Solingen and stated that his government will work to ensure the repatriation and deportation of those who cannot or are not allowed to stay in Germany.

Scholz described the knife attack as terrorism against the German way of life and vowed to never tolerate it. He emphasized that the community spirit will not be destroyed by evil criminals who pursue the worst ideologies. After the attack, Federal President Frank Walter Steinmeier urged all citizens to "stand together against hatred and violence".

The Federal Court of Justice in Karlsruhe issued an arrest warrant for a 26-year-old Syrian man, suspected of being an Islamist terrorist and a member of Islamic State (IS). However, the suspect's name has not been disclosed in the provided search results. The suspect was arrested on Saturday evening and reportedly came to Germany as an asylum seeker and had been living in a refugee accommodation in Solingen.

IS claimed responsibility for the attack, stating it was a revenge attack for Muslims in Palestine and elsewhere. The superintendent of the Solingen church district, Ilka Werner, questioned the circumstances of the attack and warned against rumors, slander, and finger-pointing in the search for those responsible.

Kirsten Fehrs, president of the mainline Protestant Evangelical Church of Germany (EKD), and Georg Bätzing, president of the Catholic German Bishops' Conference, issued a joint statement condemning the attack. Around 700 people attended a memorial service for the victims in the church next to the site of the attack, organized by the Association of Christian Churches. The memorial was led by the Protestant pastor Friederike Höroldt and the Catholic city dean, Michael Mohr. Höroldt encouraged the people of Solingen to seek comfort, help, and support after the attack.

Mayor of Solingen, Tim Kurzbach, and the president of the Protestant Church in the Rhineland, Thorsten Latzel, were among those attending the memorial service. The community of Solingen continues to mourn the loss of its citizens and stands united against hatred and violence.