Complaint filed over police cover-up in Germany arson that killed 4 Turks

A lawyer representing the victims of a deadly arson attack in Solingen, Germany, that claimed the lives of four Turkish-origin Bulgarian citizens has filed a criminal complaint against police officials, citing concerns that they may have concealed evidence.

Attorney Seda Başay Yıldız submitted the complaint to authorities following the ninth hearing of the trial at the Wuppertal Regional Court, according to German news agency dpa.

The complaint targets the Wuppertal police chief and several officers involved in the investigation. Yıldız alleged that “there is reason to suspect evidence was withheld” and that “other crucial evidence may exist” in the case.

The main suspect, a 40-year-old German national identified as D.S., is currently in custody and faces charges of four counts of murder and 21 counts of attempted murder. At a previous hearing, it was revealed that a hard drive found at the suspect’s home contained anti-Semitic images and far-right extremist content. Presiding Judge Jochen Kotter expressed his dismay during Thursday’s session, saying, “I must admit, this should not have happened.”

According to an expert report, the fire occurred during the night of March 24-25, 2024, in a residential building in the Höhscheid district of Solingen. The blaze started in the building’s wooden stairwell and spread to the roof within five minutes due to a “chimney effect.”

Investigators discovered evidence indicating the fire was deliberately set. However, Wuppertal prosecutor Heribert Kaune-Gebhardt previously stated that authorities had found no proof of a xenophobic motive.

Four members of the same family — two children and two adults of Turkish descent and Bulgarian citizenship — died in the fire. Nine others were injured, including two in critical condition.

D.S. is accused of setting the fire that resulted in the deaths of a baby, a 3-year-old child, and two adults aged 28 and 29. He also faces charges for the attempted murder of 21 residents who were inside the building at the time of the attack.