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Almost two weeks ago, a bloody deed shook Hamburg. Philipp F.* († 35) stormed a meeting of Jehovah’s Witnesses and fired shots. Seven people died in the killing spree, after the gunman directed himself.
As an expert report commissioned by the Hamburg police shows, the motive of the perpetrator could now be identified.
“Hate for Christian religious communities”
The basis of the report by extremism researcher Peter Neumann was Philipp F.’s self-published book entitled “The Truth About God, Jesus Christ, and Satan.” After investigating the 300-page pamphlet, investigator Neumann concluded that the shooter was a “religious fanatic.” That reports the Spiegel, which has received the report.
According to Neumann, the most plausible motive for the crime was “hatred of Christian religious communities”. According to Neumann, when studying the book it becomes clear that F. felt anger towards Christian faith communities because, according to him, they withheld ‘the truth’ from believers.
No indications of planned attacks or calls for violence
The expert on terrorism and extremism, who teaches in London, does not allow conclusions to be drawn about far-right sentiments or misogynistic motives in his eleven-page report for the police in the Hanseatic city.
Neumann told the “Spiegel” that there was no indication of planned murders in the book published about two and a half months before the crime, nor calls for violence. It is therefore not a “manifesto”, as perpetrators in similar cases have already left behind. Without knowing what happened later, it could not even be concluded that an attack on Jehovah’s Witnesses was imminent. The religious community does not appear at all in F.’s book.
A few weeks before the crime, police officers paid F. a visit
According to the investigative authorities, F. himself belonged to the community until about a year and a half ago, but he left under circumstances that have not been definitively clarified. Nine people were injured as a result.
In December, F. self-published the approximately 300-page book in which, according to media reports, he spread apocalyptic views and quasi-religious confused statements. The Hamburg authorities are also under pressure from this book.
It is unclear whether F. was mentally ill
F. was a sniper and legally owned the murder weapon. A few weeks before the crime, the weapons authority had received an anonymous tip about F., which was largely based on concerns about the book. According to the authorities, an internet search by officials did not lead to the book being sold through a sales platform and no major violations were found during a reliability check of the gun law in the apartment of F.
The detectives classify the March 9 crime as a rampage, though they say the motive has not yet been conclusively clarified. According to their own statements, they consider a crime of “hate” against Jehovah’s Witnesses possible, but are also investigating in other directions. It is also unclear whether F. could have been mentally ill. There was corresponding information in the anonymous tip, but there was no official medical diagnosis. (AFP/dzc)
* Name known
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
