Influencer Charged After Firework Incident in Berlin Apartment

DEGermany|

The Berlin public prosecutor's office has filed charges against a 23-year-old influencer, Atallah Younes, following an incident on New Year’s Eve when he shot a firework into an apartment building. The charges include attempted arson, attempted bodily harm, and property damage. According to authorities, Younes had posted a video on Instagram showing himself launching the firework at a multi-family residence. The firework struck the window of an apartment on the third floor, resulting in significant damage to the interior, including the bedroom furniture of the 53-year-old resident.

Fortunately, the occupant managed to prevent a larger fire from spreading by throwing out the burning remnants of the firework, and he and his family were not injured. The video quickly gained attention, amassing over six million views within 24 hours before being removed by Younes after approximately 36 hours.

Younes was arrested at Berlin Brandenburg Airport on January 4 and has since been in custody. The prosecutor’s office stated that he acted recklessly for personal gain, disregarding the safety and property of others. During his time in custody, a mobile phone was discovered with him, raising questions about how he obtained it and its intended use.

The case has now been handed over to the Berlin Regional Court, which will determine whether to proceed with the trial.

Weekly Newsletter

Loading...

More from Germany

German Doctor Charged with Murdering 15 Patients

A 40-year-old German palliative care doctor has been charged with the murders of 15 patients, utilizing lethal drugs to allegedly end their lives, according to prosecutors in Berlin. The suspect, whose identity remains confidential due to German privacy laws, is accused of killing 12 women and three men from September 2021 to July 2024, a figure that authorities believe may increase as the investigation continues. Prosecutors assert that the doctor administered an anaesthetic and a muscle relaxant without the patients’ knowledge, resulting in respiratory arrest and rapid death. Additionally, he is alleged to have attempted to cover up the crimes by setting fire to the homes of several victims on five occasions. The charges highlight incidents including the simultaneous deaths of a 75-year-old man and a 76-year-old woman in July 2024, both under suspicious circumstances. The authorities are pursuing a "lifelong professional ban" and "preventative detention" for the doctor, who remains in custody as investigations into potentially more victims continue.
DEGermany

Major Darknet Child Exploitation Platform "Kidflix" Shut Down in International Operation

Authorities have dismantled a significant Darknet platform known as "Kidflix," which had facilitated the sharing of over 91,000 videos depicting child sexual abuse. According to the Bavarian State Criminal Police Office and the General Prosecutor's Office of Bamberg, the operation, coordinated by Europol, involved law enforcement from 38 countries and resulted in 79 arrests, including suspects aged 20 to 40. The investigation, which began in early 2022, revealed that the platform had nearly 1.8 million users, with 190,000 active at the time of the shutdown. Detective Guido Limmer described the crackdown as a "major blow" against child pornography, noting that many of the suspects had long histories of Darknet engagement. Authorities executed 96 raids in Germany across 13 states. They utilized specialized detection dogs to uncover evidence. While two children, including an 11-year-old from North Rhine-Westphalia, were identified from video evidence, the ultimate operator of the site remains unidentified, leaving investigators determined to pursue further leads.
DEGermany

Germany Deploys Troops to Lithuania in Historic Military Move

Germany has announced the long-term deployment of troops to Lithuania for the first time since World War II, establishing the 45th Armored Brigade. According to the Bundeswehr, this brigade will consist of approximately 5,000 soldiers and civilian staff, positioning Germany to enhance NATO’s eastern defense amid heightened tensions from Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Brigadier General Christoph Huber, commanding the new brigade, emphasized that this move signifies Germany's commitment to European security and leadership within NATO. "We're taking responsibility for the alliance and for Lithuania," he stated, underscoring the mission’s importance in maintaining peace and freedom alongside NATO partners. The decision aligns with Lithuania's growing defense concerns given its proximity to the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad and Belarus. Lithuania's defense minister, Dovilė Šakalienė, highlighted the urgency for increased defense spending across Europe to match threats from Russia. This historic deployment meets a rising trend in defense spending among NATO members, with Germany's military budget projected to increase significantly over the coming years.
DEGermany
All Germany News ->