Berlin – New revelations about Abdul Ballout († 21): The CSD attacker who drove a van into a crowd last Saturday, killing a woman and injuring 31 people, is said to come from a family background with connections to IS fighters. According to Lebanese investigators, two of his cousins joined the terrorist organization “Islamic State” (IS). The 21-year-old’s aunt is also married to a well-known jihadist.
As “Die Zeit” reports, Ballout is said to be involved in messages with suspected IS members referred to two cousins. This emerges from documents from Lebanese investigators, which are also available to German security authorities. Ballout is said to have stated that he was recommended by the two men. One of the two died as an IS fighter in Iraq, the other was temporarily imprisoned.
The CSD terrorist exchanged information with suspected IS supporters via messenger services in order to receive help on a trip to Syria (archive photo)
Aunt married to notorious jihadist preacher
Explosive: The two men are said to be the sons of his father’s sister. The aunt, in turn, is married to Omar Bakri Fustuq. Fustuq, better known as Omar Bakri Muhammad, is considered one of the most famous figures on the international jihadist scene.
For years he is said to have recruited and radicalized young men for Islamist terrorist groups from Great Britain. He glorified the September 11 terrorists as the “Glorious 19.” He was only released in 2023 after a prison sentence in Lebanon “The time” reported.
Ballout raced through the Berlin Tiergarten during the CSD in this white van
The traces into the IS milieu extend far into Abdul Ballout’s family environment. According to the media report, one of his cousins is said to have died as an IS fighter in Iraq in 2015. There are different reports about another cousin: he is said to have either been killed in Syria or was later arrested.
WhatsApp photo raises new questions
According to the “Zeit” report, German security authorities are also said to have come across indications of possible connections: Ballout is said to have published a photo of the deceased cousin as a WhatsApp status at the end of October 2024. He probably wanted to honor his cousin, who died as an IS fighter.
It is still unclear whether the CSD terrorist knew his cousins personally and how close the contact actually was. Investigations into possible connections to the Islamist scene are ongoing.