Albanian arrested over death of Israeli tourist in Berlin

The suspect was arrested by a special police unit Friday evening in the Czech city of Usti nad Labem, near the German border, German police said. Authorities did not release his name.

The Albanian man is under suspicion of murdering a 22-year-old Israeli in a ruined church near Alexanderplatz in Berlin, and then fleeing the country.

The 28-year-old allegedly met his victim in a Berlin hostel on April 3. According to police sources, the actual murder took place on Saturday night and the body was then discovered on Easter Sunday by passersby.

The young Israeli sustained massive head injuries, disfiguring his face. However, the victim still had his passport in his pocket, and authorities subsequently confirmed his identity through DNA analysis.

The motive for the crime remains unclear, according to police.

New in Berlin

The Albanian man was tracked down in a joint effort by German and Czech authorities, after German police issued a European arrest warrant. Officials have said he will now be extradited to Germany.

The victim reportedly visited the Israeli embassy a day before his murder.

"It was about contacting his family, so they could help him with the purchase of a plane ticket," said an embassy spokeswoman.

According to the embassy, the victim had been in Germany for a while but only recently arrived in Berlin.

dj/cmk(dpa, AP)