Influencer Atallah Younes filed an application for a review of his detention after being arrested for allegedly shooting a firework rocket into an apartment in Berlin-Neukölln on New Year's Eve, according to the Hamburger Morgenpost. The review hearing must take place no later than two weeks after the application, and a swift trial is possible if the investigations conclude quickly, as reported by T-Online.
"The proceedings are being expedited because the accused 23-year-old is in pre-trial detention," said Michael Petzold, spokesman for the Berlin public prosecutor's office, according to Stern. Petzold added, "Due to the flight risk—since Younes has no residence in Germany—pre-trial detention was ordered," as reported by Der Standard.
On New Year's Eve, Younes ignited a firework rocket that flew directly into an apartment across the street, causing minor damage but no injuries, as the residents were not at home during the incident, according to N-TV. A video of the event was posted on Younes's Instagram account but has since been deleted after widespread criticism, reported Die Welt.
Younes, who has over 313,000 followers on Instagram and primarily publishes posts in Arabic, expressed regret over the incident. "What I did, I am very sorry," he stated, apologizing to the homeowner on camera and adding, "I didn't want to hurt anyone on purpose," according to the Frankfurter Allgemeine. In an interview with Zeit Online before his arrest, he said, "I just wanted to celebrate New Year's Eve. I didn't know the German customs. I just saw that people in Berlin are making a lot of noise; I wanted to experience that too. I didn't know how a rocket works and how far it would fly. I didn't want to hurt anyone on purpose," as reported by the Süddeutsche Zeitung.
Despite his apologies, the public prosecutor's office considers Younes's actions to be reckless endangerment of human lives, which must be taken into account as an aggravating factor in sentencing, according to T-Online. It is further viewed as aggravating that he filmed the act and subsequently posted it online, attempting to gain attention, reported the Frankfurter Allgemeine. The public prosecutor's office stated, "It should be generally known how a rocket works and that there is a fire hazard from it," considering his claims of ignorance a protective statement.
Younes, who holds both Jordanian and Palestinian passports, attempted to leave Germany shortly after the incident. He intended to take a 5:55 PM flight to Amman, Jordan, but was arrested at Berlin Airport (BER) around 4:30 PM on January 5 as he attempted to depart, according to Bild. He had announced that he would fly back to his homeland and that a return to Germany was not planned after his visit, as reported by T-Online.
An arrest warrant was issued against Younes on Sunday, confirmed by Michael Petzold of the Berlin public prosecutor's office, according to 20 Minuten. He is being charged with attempted aggravated arson, attempted dangerous bodily injury, and property damage, with the penalty for aggravated arson being a prison sentence of at least one year, as reported by Der Standard. The first two offenses carry prison sentences of at least one year and six months, respectively, according to the Frankfurter Allgemeine.
Younes claimed that he experienced racism as a result of the incident, according to the Frankfurter Allgemeine. He has remained silent about the allegations since his arrest, reported the Hamburger Morgenpost.
Incidents involving the reckless use of fireworks on New Year's Eve are not uncommon in Berlin and across Germany. Every year, there are injuries and police investigations due to such actions, with 363 people injured in Berlin alone this year, as reported by the Münchner Merkur. In Berlin, about 400 people were arrested on New Year's Eve, and approximately 670 criminal proceedings were initiated, according to the Frankfurter Allgemeine.
The public prosecutor's office assumes that Younes committed the crime to generate maximum attention, reported the Frankfurter Allgemeine. "Accordingly, it is assumed that he has no interest in participating in the proceedings," the office stated. The case continues to unfold as legal proceedings progress, with Younes awaiting his review hearing while in pre-trial detention.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.