Man wrongly arrested over Berlin attack says he fears for his life

The Guardian ^ | 2016-12-29 | Kate Connolly

[cartan]

Exclusive: Naveed Baloch says he was tied up, blindfolded and slapped by police after being held ‘because he ran across road’

Naveed Baloch was crossing a road in central Berlin on the evening of 19 December, having just left a friend’s house. He was halfway over it when, seeing a car heading towards him, he increased his speed. “I then realised it was a police car. I stopped when they beckoned to me, and showed them all the ID I had on me.”

They let him go but within seconds had called him back. Before he knew it he was in the back of the car, its lights flashing as it sped through Berlin. His hands were bound behind his back. Later that night, he said, he was blindfolded and taken from “one police station to another place” about 10 minutes away. He recalls two police officers “digging the heels of their shoes into my feet”, and one of the men “putting great pressure on my neck with his hand”.

They undressed him and took photographs. “When I resisted, they started slapping me.” They took three samples of his blood. A 24-year-old Pakistani identified only as Naveed B was named by German police and the interior minister, Thomas de Maizière, just hours after the deadly attack on a Christmas market on Berlin’s Breitscheidplatz, as their prime suspect.

[cartan]

You may cry now.

[FreedomStar3028]

I’m sensing there is much more to this story than is being reported.

[Vendome]

Sniff, sniff...

[fr_freak]

“When I resisted, they started slapping me.”

Seeing as how he seems to have such a keen grasp of cause and effect, I would think the solution to his slapping problem would have clearly presented itself,

[alexander_busek]

Obviously, German police authorities - nationwide - should immediately HALT their counter-terrorism measures, CEASE their manhunt, and report for several weeks of sensitivity training.

Regards,

[castlegreyskull]

People from the enemy camp should always fear their life.

[McGavin999]

They need to get these people back to their own countries. They are using the court systems against their hosts. The ingratitude is stunning

[onedoug]

Poor little islamist....

[The Toll]

GO HOME!

[JimRed]

A 24-year-old Pakistani identified only as Naveed B was named by German police and the interior minister, Thomas de Maizière, just hours after the deadly attack on a Christmas market on Berlin’s Breitscheidplatz, as their prime suspect.

A Muslim. Therefore a suspect. Got a problem with that?

[cartan]

UPDATE:

According to another article in Germany’s most reputable newspaper, the Guardian made it all up. (Sorry, available only in German.) Well, they are citing a police source, but it is a complete, unequivocal denial, no weasel words. They say they talked to Naveed B. about it, and he was stunned, said there was no competent translator present during the interview, and that nobody had hit or abused him at all.