Munich assassin

Emrah I. acted out violent scenes at the age of 14

A search of Emrah I.'s parents' house had already taken place in spring 2023, when three videos were seized. However, there was no evidence of a crime.(Bild: Markus Tschepp)

The Salzburg public prosecutor's office has now issued a statement in response to the suspected terrorist attack by 18-year-old Emrah I., who was shot dead by police in Munich on Thursday. The man from Flachgau was already making relevant videos as a 14-year-old. However, the allegations against the accused were "not provable" for the public prosecutor's office.

When he attacked and dangerously threatened a fellow pupil, Emrah I. was reported to the police in spring 2023, whereupon the Salzburg public prosecutor's office opened an investigation. At the time, the accused was not only charged with assault, he was also allegedly interested in instructions on how to build bombs and had participated in a terrorist organization.

Three videos discovered on the PC in the children's room
The public prosecutor's office then arranged for a court-authorized search of the Neumarkt man's children's room. At that time, his cell phone and a stationary PC were seized and analyzed. While no relevant data was found on his cell phone, the investigators discovered three videos on the PC that the suspect had recorded himself as a 14-year-old. They showed scenes from a computer game with Islamist content. "Only one of these videos showed symbols of the terrorist organization AL-NUSRAH FRONT FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE LEVANT," explained the public prosecutor's office in its statement. 

Videos were not disseminated
It goes on to say: "It could not be established in the investigation proceedings that the accused transmitted the videos made to other people or otherwise used them for propaganda purposes." The mere playing of this computer game or the re-enactment of violent Islamist scenes was not sufficient to prove intent. The offense of participation in a terrorist organization was therefore not fulfilled.

Proceedings were discontinued in April 2023
Classmates were also questioned by the public prosecutor's office at the time, but did not provide any further evidence. There were also no plans or instructions for building bombs, which is why the proceedings of the Salzburg public prosecutor's office were ultimately discontinued in April 2023.