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Attacker in Berlin Skullcap Case Turns Himself In to Police


FILE - A man wearing a Jewish scullcap waits for the start of an anti-Semitism rally at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate, in Berlin, Germany Sept. 14, 2014.
FILE - A man wearing a Jewish scullcap waits for the start of an anti-Semitism rally at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate, in Berlin, Germany Sept. 14, 2014.

A 19-year-old Syrian asylum-seeker has turned himself in to police after his violent attack on a man wearing a Jewish skullcap in Berlin caused outrage across Germany.

Police spokesman Winfrid Wenzel said the young Syrian showed up with his lawyer at a police precinct Thursday. The 21-year-old victim, an Arab Israeli, caught Tuesday's assault on video. It quickly went viral and reopened a debate about growing anti-Semitism in the country. Even Chancellor Merkel condemned the assault sharply.

The video shows the attacker whipping the Israeli with a belt while shouting “Yehudi!” or Jew, in Arabic.

The victim, Adam Armoush, said he's not Jewish but wore the skullcap as an experiment because he didn't believe a friend who told him it's too dangerous to wear one in public in Germany.

Video of attack posted to YouTube (not independently verified):


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