German Chancellor calls for tougher curbs on high-risk suspects after Berlin attack

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has called for tighter restrictions on the movements of individuals deemed a threat to public safety following the deadly attack in Berlin's Tiergarten district, saying authorities must do everything possible to prevent potential offenders from reaching public events.

Speaking at a press conference in Berlin on July 27, Merz said people considered dangerous should face the maximum possible restrictions if they cannot be held in custody.

"In my view, we must do everything possible to restrict the freedom of movement of such potential offenders as much as we can if we are unable to place them in custody — whether in pre-trial detention or in prison," he said.

Merz instructed Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt to prepare an official report for government review, seeking an explanation of how a person classified as dangerous was able to travel unhindered to the site of a mass public gathering.

The remarks came after the July 25 attack in the Tiergarten area of the German capital, which has renewed scrutiny of the country's security measures and monitoring of high-risk individuals.

According to German newspaper Bild, the main suspect was identified as 21-year-old German national Abdul Ballut, who was of Lebanese descent. The newspaper reported that he had been sentenced to one year and 10 months in prison for preparing a serious criminal offence, but the sentence had not yet taken effect because prosecutors appealed, seeking a longer term of two years and 10 months.

During the appeal process, Ballut was released after completing a previous prison sentence for unrelated offences, Bild reported. He remained at liberty until he was shot dead by police during an attempted arrest on July 26.

By Aghakazim Guliyev