„We found the man. Officers of the State Protection Unit have called on him and checked his details. He was warned in a potential risk person speech“, said a police spokesperson on Monday in a conversation with the GA newspaper.

The investigation against the 51-year-old, who is from Königswinter according to information the GA newspaper received, continues. „He wants to reply to the accusations in the next few days“, said the spokesperson. The man is known to the authorities. He was not arrested.

The man was identified thanks to CCTV footage in the tram. Also the 44-year-old victim has identified him on pictures when shown to her in the police station during the morning.

„The man had said that he wants to kill and burn my mother, my brother and every foreign person“, said Yasmin Akkaya, the 21-year-old son of the victim, in an interview with the GA on Friday. He was called by his mother from the train. Other passengers, who tried to protect the mother and her child, were also threatened by the man.

The Turkish Consulate General pointed out that it is not true that the Consulate advise the victims to contact Turkish media to spread the story. „It is true, that the victims and their family did not contact the Consulate at any time and that the Consulate did not advise to contact Turkish media“, said the authority on Monday. „We have a very good relationship with the German security authorities and always advise Turkish people to contact them“, said Consul Nagi Tayru in a conversation with the GA.

Original text: Hansjürgen Melzer
Translation: Mareike Graepel