German federal prosecutors have uncovered a video on the phone of the Berlin Pride attacker showing him pledging allegiance to the ISIL (ISIS) armed group, providing a clear terrorist motive for the attack that shocked Germany over the weekend.
The 21-year-old suspect, identified as Abdul Ballout, drove a rented minivan into a crowd of festivalgoers at Berlin’s Christopher Street Day parade on Saturday, killing a 65-year-old Polish woman and injuring 31 people. He was shot dead by police on Sunday after attacking officers with a bladed weapon.
Federal prosecutors said Tuesday that investigators found the video on a phone recovered from the minivan. The recording was made on the same day as the attack. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said in televised comments that while the person in the video wore a mask, authorities assume it is the suspect.
Investigators are also analyzing data storage devices found at Ballout’s home, with Dobrindt noting that links to ISIL can also be found on those devices. Alongside the phone in the van was a sheath for the machete the attacker is believed to have used after leaving the vehicle, which crashed into a tree in Berlin’s Tiergarten park.
Ballout, a German citizen with Lebanese roots, was already known to security authorities. Berlin prosecutors revealed that he traveled to Lebanon in 2025 with the intention of crossing into Syria to join ISIL. While in Lebanon, he made contact with several presumed members of the group.
A Lebanese judicial source told the AFP news agency that Ballout was sentenced to three months in jail in Lebanon for belonging to ISIL. Upon his return to Germany, he was detained, and in May a juvenile court convicted him of planning a serious act of subversive violence, handing down a suspended sentence of one year and 10 months.
The attack has reignited debate in Germany about the effectiveness of counter-terrorism measures and the handling of suspected extremists. Critics have questioned why Ballout was free on a suspended sentence despite his known links to ISIL and his previous travel to join the group.
German authorities have faced growing scrutiny over their ability to track and detain individuals deemed a security risk. The case bears similarities to previous extremist attacks in Europe where perpetrators were known to authorities before carrying out violence.
The Berlin Pride attack has drawn international condemnation, with leaders across Europe expressing solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community. Berlin’s governing mayor visited the wounded in hospitals and attended a vigil held in memory of the victim.
Security officials have said they are continuing to investigate whether Ballout acted alone or had accomplices. No other arrests have been made, but investigators are examining his communications and contacts in the period leading up to the attack.
Author: Pulse Of Nations Wire Desk
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