German authorities criticised after Pride attack

BERLIN: German authorities came in for criticism on Monday (Jul 27) for failing to prevent a deadly vehicle and machete attack on the weekend near Berlin's Pride parade, with the far-right AfD also demanding tougher action against extremists.Politicians, security experts and a police union asked why the presumed attacker, Abdul Ballout, 21 - who was shot dead by police on Sunday - was walking free and not under close surveillance despite previous convictions and an attempt to join the so-called Islamic State group."The danger from this man was underestimated," Rolf Tophoven of the Institute for Terrorism Research and Security Policy told AFP.The attacker on Saturday evening ploughed a rented minivan into a crowd before slashing away at people with a machete, killing a Polish woman and woun