A 20-year-old German man was taken into custody and has admitted to stealing and publishing the personal data of hundreds of German lawmakers, journalists, and other public figures. According to a statement made by investigators, the young man carried out the attack out of anger for political statements made by each of the affected people. Currently, authorities are satisfied with the 20-year-old’s claims that he acted alone and was not acting on behalf of any other governments. The targeted officials belonged to every major political group within Germany except for the far-right Alternative for Germany, of AfD. Authorities are still evaluating the computers and hard drives that were seized from the suspect’s home, as well as a large number of personal papers which were tied to the attack. Even though the suspect has confessed to his crimes, he is currently not in custody. Officials have stated that there is currently a “lack of grounds for detention,” however as the investigation continues this could change.
