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German officials: Autopsy confirms bomb plotter killed self

Rolf Jacob, director of the prison in Leipzig, left, and Saxony's state justice minister Sebastian Gemkow attend a press conference in Dresden, eastern Germany, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016 after the death of 22-year-old Syrian man Jaber Albakr suspected of planning an Islamic extremist bombing attack strangled himself by tying his shirt to the bars of his jail cell. (Arno Burgi/dpa via AP) Rolf Jacob, director of the prison in Leipzig, left, and Saxony's state justice minister Sebastian Gemkow attend a press conference in Dresden, eastern Germany, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016 after the death of 22-year-old Syrian man Jaber Albakr suspected of planning an Islamic extremist bombing attack strangled himself by tying his shirt to the bars of his jail cell. (Arno Burgi/dpa via AP)

By Associated Press October 14, 2016 1 min read

BERLIN (AP) – German authorities say an autopsy confirms that a 22-year-old Syrian man who was believed to have been plotting a bombing attack killed himself in his jail cell in Leipzig.

Leipzig prosecutor Ricardo Schulz told the dpa news agency Friday the autopsy showed Jaber Albakr died by strangulating himself with his T-shirt. He says “as a result of the investigation, so far the Leipzig prosecutors’ office believes the deceased committed suicide.”

Saxony officials have been widely criticized for their handling of the case, from initially letting Albakr elude them as they prepared to raid the apartment where he was staying to allowing him to take his own life.

Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere on Friday again stressed “those responsible know there is still a lot of work ahead of them.”