In Mannheim, Germany, an investigation has been launched concerning possible connections to Russia in relation to a knife attack on May 31, 2024, which resulted in the death of police officer Rouven Laur.

The Stuttgart Higher Regional Court has directed the Landeskriminalamt (State Criminal Police) and the Generalbundesanwaltschaft (Federal Prosecutor’s Office) to gather and present relevant information before the court.

Additionally, the Bundesnachrichtendienst (Federal Intelligence Service) may be consulted to assist in this investigation.

The impetus for the inquiry arises from a recent episode of the ZDF program 'Terra X History,' which featured comments from an internet profiler discussing suspicious search activities traced to Russia.

These searches involved terminology that might be relevant to the attack.

However, security sources have expressed skepticism regarding the reliability of these findings, cautioning that definitive conclusions from Google Trends data cannot be drawn in relation to the attack's timing.

The individual accused in the case, identified as 26-year-old Sulaiman A., is said to have attacked six people amid a demonstration organized by the anti-Islamic citizen movement Pax Europa (BPE).

The assault resulted in injuries to five attendees, in addition to police officer Laur, who died two days following the altercation.

During the ongoing trial, Sulaiman A. reportedly testified that he had sought affirmation for his intended violence via the messaging platform Telegram.

He described interactions with a chat partner, who identified themselves as OR, discussing topics such as the killing of police officers and the Mudschaheddin, a term typically associated with Islamist fighters.

Authorities in Germany have not been able to verify the identity of this chat partner.

In his statements, the defendant conveyed a growing interest in committing a violent act, questioning whether his residence permit would prevent him from doing so.

His chat partner allegedly reassured him that such an act was justified.

Sulaiman A. is facing multiple charges, including murder and attempted murder, with prosecutors asserting that he has shown sympathies toward the Islamic State terrorist group, claims he has acknowledged during court proceedings.

In their arguments, it was stated that he had determined that killing individuals he regarded as infidels was not only permissible but a religious obligation.

At the time of the stabbing incident, Sulaiman A. resided in Heppenheim, located approximately 35 kilometers northeast of Mannheim, with his wife and children.