After the explosion in a party office of the left in Oberhausen, state security took over the investigation. An explosive device was discovered at the crime scene.
After the explosion at a party office of the left in Oberhausen (North Rhine-Westphalia), the police found evidence of a homemade explosive device, according to information from the German Press Agency. Investigators said that a so-called “unconventional explosive and incendiary device” (USBV) could be responsible – built, among other things, with “lightning explosives” such as those found in fireworks. There are no indications of possible perpetrators.
During the night, around 3:20 a.m., the explosion destroyed, among other things, the windows of the party office and neighboring shops. Yusuf Karacelik, leader of the Left Party in Oberhausen, said on Tuesday, according to a written statement: “We are assuming a targeted attack from the right.” Karacelik spoke to the dpa of a “right-wing terrorist attack”. The Federal Chair of the Left, Janine Wissler, and North Rhine-Westphalia party leader Jules El-Khatib also suspect, in their own words, a right-wing extremist background.
Motive for explosion in party office still unclear
The investigators are also pursuing other possible leads. Several members of the left from Oberhausen took part in a demonstration in Berlin at the weekend, which was directed against Germany’s rearmament because of the Ukraine war. Karacelik confirmed to the dpa that he had been questioned by the police on Tuesday. He emphasized: “It wasn’t a pro-Russian demo, but a peace demo.” It is therefore wrong for the police to investigate in this direction – they should rather look for the perpetrators in the right-wing scene.
A police spokeswoman emphasized that investigations are being carried out in all directions. Because a politically motivated act cannot be ruled out, state security is involved. Experts from the State Criminal Police Office were also on site on Tuesday.
In addition to the party office on Friedensplatz in Oberhausen, a hairdresser’s shop and a travel agency were also badly damaged by the explosion. Windows shattered, interior fittings were partly destroyed. “The property damage is significant,” said the police spokeswoman.
