Stolen truck crashes into cars in Germany, 8 hurt

By Associated Press 08 October 2019, 12:00AM

BERLIN (AP) — German authorities were investigating Tuesday why a man drove a stolen truck into a line of cars in a western town, leaving eight people slightly injured.

The truck drove into eight cars in Limburg late Monday afternoon, pushing the vehicles into each other. Police said seven people were taken to hospitals, but were released during the night. The driver was detained.

Officials said on Monday evening that 17 people were injured, but revised the figure down to eight on Tuesday.

Police said that the driver apparently commandeered the truck shortly before the crash, but it wasn't immediately clear whether the crash was accidental or deliberate.

Public broadcaster ZDF, citing unidentified security authorities, reported Tuesday that officials believe there was a terrorist background to the incident. News agency dpa, also citing unidentified security sources, reported that the truck driver was a Syrian who arrived in Germany in 2015 and that there was no indication so far of a terrorist motive, but it also can't be ruled out.

Asked what evidence there is of a possible terror attack as he arrived Tuesday at a meeting with European Union colleagues in Luxembourg, Interior Minister Horst Seehofer said that the investigation is underway and "I can't tell you at this point how this act is to be assessed."

The federal prosecutor's office, which handles terrorism cases in Germany, said it doesn't at this point consider the case to be its responsibility.

By Associated Press 08 October 2019, 12:00AM

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