Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann says police have discovered a hand-painted flag of the Islamic State militant group in the belongings of the teenager who went on an axe and knife slashing rampage aboard a train Monday. 

IS claimed responsibility for the attack in a post on its Aamaq news agency Tuesday, shortly after the flag was discovered.

According to the statement, the attacker was “a member of the Islamic State,” and planned the attack after calls from the group for supporters to attack western countries.

“The perpetrator of the stabbing attack in Germany was one of the fighters of the Islamic State,” the news agency said.

IS has claimed responsibility for several attacks carried out in its name, though the connection between the group and the perpetrators of those attacks is unclear. If IS is behind this attack, it would be the first time the group has targeted Germany.

Witnesses report hearing the attacker shouting “Allahu akbar (God is great)” while he carried out the assault.

Several people were injured in the attack, including members of a Chinese family, with two of the victims in critical condition. 

The attacker, a 17-year-old Afghan refugee, was shot to death by police as he fled from the scene.  Herrmann earlier said the boy lived in the German town of Ochsenfurt.

Authorities have not speculated on a motive for the attack. They say the train route between Ochsenfurt and Wurzburg has been closed.
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