A 13-year-old girl, suspected of having Islamist ties, has been accused of stabbing a nurse at a psychiatric hospital in East Westphalia in Germany. This attack occurred just days after police had warned the facility about the potential danger the girl posed.
According to the German Press Agency (dpa), investigators had learned that the teenager was scheduled to be given access to the hospital kitchen as part of her therapy. Police then warned the hospital that the knives in the kitchen could be used as a weapon.
Despite the warning, the clinic proceeded with the girl’s therapy as planned, allowing her access to knives.
The nurse, who is 24, was stabbed in the back and was in critical condition. However, police reported that she is now improving.
The news outlet NW.de also indicated that the stabbing occurred during the short-term absence of a guard, who had just left the kitchen, according to the Paderborn prosecutor’s office.
The prosecutor’s office was asked if the clinic had ignored warnings from the police; however, the office only stated that an investigation is ongoing and that “the motive is also the subject of ongoing scrutiny.”
The 13-year-old was taken into custody, but due to her age, pretrial detention was not possible.
A homicide squad has been formed to investigate the case. Authorities have stated there was no danger to the public.
The Regional Association of Westphalia-Lippe, which operates the hospital, has not yet commented, stating that a representative would visit the facility to investigate the incident.
According to multiple media outlets, including the Neue Westfälische, the 13-year-old had been under police surveillance for months as a potential Islamist threat.
She had been living in an apartment under 24-hour police watch and receiving educational support. In July, she attempted to escape and injured a police officer, which led to her placement in a secure psychiatric facility.
Spiegel reported that the girl had told others she wanted to kill someone before her 14th birthday —before she reached the age of criminal responsibility. This alleged statement, coupled with her impending birthday in the fall, made investigators especially concerned when they learned of her planned access to the kitchen.
The growing issue of extremist Islam in Germany has presented the country with a unique and growing threat. In fact, an incredible 99 percent of serious terror cases in the first half of this year involved foreigners and Islamic terror threats. Germany has spent billions on surveillance and police resources to track and control the threat; however, serious attacks over the last years have resulted in serious terror incidents and many deaths.
