German court issues arrest warrant for Halle synagogue shooting suspect

Germany's Federal Court of Justice issued an arrest warrant for the suspected perpetrator of the deadly attack outside a synagogue in the city of Halle at the request of the public prosecutor general's office, media have reported.

The Spiegel newspaper reported on Thursday that the suspect would be placed in pre-trial detention.

Both the Federal Court of Justice and the Public Prosecutor General's Office seat in the city of Karlsruhe. The suspect, who was detained by the police after committing the attack, was reportedly flown there by helicopter.

Footage released by the N-TV channel showed the suspect, with a gauze bandage on his neck, exiting the helicopter surrounded by armed security officers. According to German media reports, the suspect had been injured during his detention.

The Halle attack took place on Wednesday and left two people killed and as many injured, according to the police. There were around 80 people inside the synagogue at the time of the attack.

German media have reported that the suspected gunman, arrested by police after the attack, was Stephan Balliet, a 27-year-old neo-Nazi German citizen, who broadcast his attack online.

Justice Minister Christine Lambrecht said on Thursday that the authorities considered the shooting to be a far-right anti-Semitic terror act.