If there is the first suspicion that an immigrant has become the victim of a serious crime, there is immediately a press release. The parties’ expressions of consternation are not long in coming …
On the evening of October 27, a serious crime was also committed on the central Marienplatz square in Schwerin – but the perpetrator was an immigrant. A Tunisian (32) had stabbed an Algerian (22) in the back and seriously injured him. However, the police did not report the incident. The public prosecutor’s office had the right to withhold information from the press. Consequently, the public did not learn anything!
However, a coincidence made the case public days later. Martin Schmidt (34, AfD), a member of the state parliament, had observed pools of blood, ambulances and police cars at the scene and subsequently submitted a question to the Minister of the Interior, Christian Pegel (48, Social Democratic Party). The latter then admitted the incident, according to Schmidt. And Schmidt is outraged: “A stabbing in one of Schwerin’s most frequented squares – and not a word about it in the press? It’s outrageous that an attempt is apparently being made here to cover up immigrant crime.”
Claudia Lange, spokesperson for the Schwerin public prosecutor’s office, rejects this: “It is by no means the case that the facts were to be covered up. It was communicated by us upon request.” But who should ask about something they know nothing about? Lange goes on to explain that the public prosecutor’s office always declares a press embargo when it is so involved that, for example, it has to decide on a request for arrest.
What actually happened in this case! An arrest warrant was issued against the Tunisian for dangerous bodily harm!
The striking thing about it is that the detainee is Bilel Z. (32), an serial offender whose criminal career has already become a political issue. The Tunisian was deported, re-entered the country, went into hiding, was briefly arrested, quickly released, continued to rob and steal. When he finally slashed the face of a compatriot with a razor blade at the first reception centre for asylum seekers in Stern Buchholz in February 2021, the AfD shortly afterwards put a small question to the state government to obtain information about the circumstances of his illegal re-entry.
However, the answer was never published on the recommendation of the Ministry of the Interior. Because of the Tunisian’s “personal data worthy of protection”, the publication of which would “seriously violate his right”, was the official explanation.
The long-term asylum seeker knew how to take advantage of so much leniency. After the razor attack and other assaults, he simply went into hiding again to avoid possible arrest. It was not until this spring that the refugee was caught in Switzerland on the basis of a European arrest warrant and brought back.
Nevertheless, in Schwerin the first two convictions followed within a few days in September. Bilel Z. was sentenced to 12 months in prison for two counts of dangerous bodily harm – suspended. And for a bundle of other offences (drugs, theft, among others) he received another prison sentence of several months – again suspended, of course.
As a free man, Bilel Z., who committed more than two dozen crimes, returned to the asylum centre in Stern Buchholz. It only took a few days until the aggressive man caused the next police intervention. Because he thought he was not getting enough pocket money, he had insulted the staff and threatened them with a razor blade.
An enquiry by the newspaper BILD at the time to the Ministry of the Interior as to why an serial offender like Bilel Z. can repeatedly undergo an asylum procedure and not be deported again was only answered evasively. General reference was made to the applicable regulations in the asylum law and to the responsible Federal Office for Migration and Refugees.
The new knife attack by Bilel Z. clearly shows the failure of the authorities. An unteachable, highly dangerous criminal is let off the hook for years – literally without any consideration for the consequences. And now new criminal proceedings are being opened. It would not be surprising if parole and probation were followed by another parole …
For Martin Schmidt, a member of the state parliament, the case is clear: “Anyone who attracts attention through criminal behaviour has forfeited his right to be a guest.