Terror strikes in the heart of Germany

The gunman’s motives are unclear but the instability sweeping Europe is undeniable

German police secure the area of a subway station Karlsplatz in Munich near a shopping mall following a shooting on July 22, 2016. Andreas Gebert / AFP

The details of Friday’s Munich attack are beginning to emerge. An 18-year-old German-Iranian walked into a McDonald’s restaurant and a nearby Munich shopping centre and started shooting. At least nine people were killed and many more injured. The gunman’s dead body was found a kilometre from the scene. He was not previously known to German authorities.

In the coming days, we will learn more about this gunman and, perhaps, why he decided to carry out a terror attack in the Bavarian capital. Was he a member of an international extremist organisation? Was he a deranged lone gunman with a history of mental illness? Did he, as police believe, mimic the actions of Anders Breivik, the perpetrator of the deadly July 22, 2011 attacks in Norway?

One thing is clear, however: Europe and many other parts of the world are suffering from a profound wave of instability. From attacks in France to an attempted coup in Turkey and the rise of dangerous populist rhetoric in the United States, uncertainty and fear are sweeping across the world.

Regardless of the Munich gunman’s psychological profile or his official allegiance (if any), he is one of many people taking advantage of the current instability. As we have previously noted in these pages, the best response to instability caused by extremism and populism is unity and cooperation. Germany has responded to this horrific attack in a calm and prudent matter and, admirably, has not fallen prey to unhelpful or freewheeling speculation.

The impressive response of German security forces to the shooting is also worth highlighting. Police and special forces quickly locked down Munich’s infrastructure. Thankfully, no Emiratis were injured in Friday’s events. Some were briefly stranded on the city’s public transport, but are now safe. The UAE Embassy in Berlin has cautioned Emiratis in Munich to stay indoors.

Now, more than ever, we must join together as an international community in the spirit of respect and cooperation to face the challenge of instability.

Reckless individuals, extremist groups and opportunistic politicians will all seek to exploit the current chaos for their own ends, but we can’t let these events disrupt our ability to craft new solutions to global security problems. While the short-term forecast looks bumpy, we have to maintain calm while dealing with these historic threats to the way we live our lives.