A court has arrested an 18-year-old man following a stabbing attack in Eskişehir, central Turkey, which left five people injured.
The incident occurred yesterday at a café and an adjacent park in the Tepebaşı district. The assailant, identified as A.K., was apprehended at the scene by police and later taken to the hospital under heavy security. Following his court appearance, he was formally charged with "attempted premeditated murder of multiple persons" and "threatening to create fear and panic among the public” and remanded in custody.
Teenager randomly stabs people in Eskişehir, leaving five wounded
The emerging details about his motivations and influences indicate that this attack may represent an unprecedented incident in Turkey.
According to a report from the T24 news website, A.K. admitted during police interrogation that he had been influenced by neo-Nazi ideologies. He had a sticker featuring the Black Sun, a symbol associated with neo-Nazism, affixed to the tactical vest he wore during the attack.
A.K. claimed to have been inspired by Anders Behring Breivik, the Norwegian far-right extremist who killed 77 people in 2011. A.K. reportedly made contact with an individual online who used the name Fjotolf Hansen, Breivik's adopted name. Together, they allegedly planned the attack, with A.K. being instructed on how to make explosives. However, A.K. was unable to obtain the necessary materials and instead armed himself with a knife, a hatchet, and other weapons, which he ordered online.
During the attack, A.K. was dressed in tactical gear, including a helmet and assault vest, and had a camera attached to his helmet to record the incident. He cited the Black Sun as an expression of his ideological beliefs.
Alleged manifesto
A manifesto allegedly written by A.K. using the nickname “Skreewie” circulated on social media following the attack. While it could not be verified whether the document was genuine, it aligns with A.K.’s statement to the police.
The manifesto expresses hatred for humanity, LGBTI+s, and refugees, and admiration for other right-wing extremist attackers, including Brenton Tarrant, who committed the Christchurch mosque shootings in 2019, Stephen Paddock, who carried out the Las Vegas shooting in 2017, and Timothy McVeigh, the Oklahoma City bomber. A.K. referred to these individuals as "modern-day saints" in his manifesto.
As a random act of violence inspired by neo-Nazi ideology, this attack is unprecedented in Turkey, even though similar views have a significant online presence. (VK)
