Driver stabbed in German town, police probe motive

BERLIN (AP) - An assailant stabbed the driver of a car in western Germany early Sunday and investigators weren't ruling out an Islamic extremist motive for the attack, police said. Two men, including the suspect, were arrested.

Shortly after midnight, the attacker opened the door of a car that was driving slowly through Stolberg, near Aachen and close to the Belgian border, police said on Twitter. He stabbed the driver, who sustained wounds to the arm and later underwent an operation. Police said the injuries weren't life-threatening.

They said police in the regional hub of Cologne took over the case 'œbecause an Islamist background cannot be ruled out.'ť

They wouldn't confirm or deny reports in the Bild and Aachener Zeitung newspapers that the assailant shouted 'œAllahu akbar," or 'œGod is great'ť in Arabic.

On Sunday evening, two men - the 21-year-old suspect and another man, age 26, who was in a car with him - were detained in Stolberg, a statement from police and prosecutors said. It added that both men as well as a police officer were injured during the arrest.