Muhammad Al Muhammad called a hero after helping to halt train station attack in which 18 people were injured

A 19-year-old Syrian refugee in Germany has been hailed as a hero after he pinned down an assailant at Hamburg’s main railway station, helping to halt an attack in which 18 people were injured.

Police on Friday said a 39-year-old German woman had been arrested at the scene of the attack and that she was believed to be in a state of psychological distress. The 18 people injured were later reported to all be in stable condition, while the woman was placed in psychiatric care.

As the city reeled from the incident, the spotlight landed on Muhammad Al Muhammad, who had been heading to his home in Buchholz, 25km from Hamburg, after visiting a friend in the city. He was waiting on the platform for his train when he spotted a woman wielding a knife.