Merkel warns of ‘poison of racism’

AT least nine people were killed late on Wednesday as a suspect went on a shooting rampage in Germany, targeting customers at two separate shisha lounges in the western town of Hanau.

The suspect a 43-year-old German man and his mother were found dead in his apartment overnight yesterday.

Police are attempting to identify the victims.

Federal prosecutors have said there are indications of a far-right motive. Police said the two crime scenes were at Heumarkt, in the centre of Hanau, and Kurt-SchumacherPlatz in the western neighbourhood of Kesselstadt, about 2km away. The suspect’s apartment was also in Kesselstadt.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said there was much to indicate racism motivated Hanau shootings.

She also said: “Racism is a poison, hate is a poison, and this poison exists in our society.”

“Everything will be done to investigate circumstances of these terrible murders,” Merkel said.

Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, the leader of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democrats (CDU), said that xenophobia was a growing problem in Germany.

“It’s poison to see people as opponents, to see yourself as better than others, to see fellow citizens as foreigners - that’s a poison that is increasingly penetrating society and can ultimately lead to these crimes,” she said. “I am deeply shocked by the tragedy that took place last night in Hanau. My thoughts are with the families and friends of the victims, to whom I want to extend my sincerest condolences. We mourn with you today,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, a former German government minister, tweeted. — Al Jazeera the