A man accused of driving a car into crowds at a German Christmas market, resulting in five fatalities and numerous injuries, is facing multiple charges of murder and attempted murder, as per police statements.
The attack that occurred on Friday evening in the central city of Magdeburg horrified the nation and heightened tensions surrounding the sensitive topic of immigration.
The detained suspect, a 50-year-old psychiatrist from Saudi Arabia known for his anti-Islamic rhetoric, has resided in Germany for nearly two decades.
The motive behind the attack remains uncertain.
Authorities indicated that criminal proceedings would ensue but refrained from disclosing specific details.
Demonstrators, some donning black balaclavas, unveiled a large banner displaying the word “remigration,” a term favored by far-right proponents advocating for the mass deportation of immigrants and those considered non-ethnically German.
Other community members gathered to honor the deceased.
A large array of flowers formed in front of St John’s Church in Magdeburg, near the attack site, continuously attracting tearful mourners throughout the weekend.
“This is my second visit here. I was here yesterday. I brought flowers, and it touched me deeply, so I needed to see how many flowers were placed today,” said local resident Ingolf Klinzmann.
A sign commemorating the victims prominently displayed the word “Why?”.
Five individuals lost their lives, and over 200 sustained injuries in the attack on Friday.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz denounced the “horrific, insane” incident in Magdeburg and called for national unity amid heightened political tensions as the country approaches the elections on 23 February.
He emphasized the importance of solidarity, urging that “hatred should not dictate our coexistence, but rather our community’s commitment to a shared future.”
Read more: Vigils held as Germany mourns five killed in market attack What we know about Christmas market attack suspect ‘Torn from my side’ – horror of German Christmas market attack
A magistrate has ordered the suspect, identified as Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, to be held in pretrial custody on five counts of murder, along with multiple counts of attempted murder and grievous bodily harm, according to a police announcement.
Reuters has yet to confirm whether the suspect has legal representation.
Among the deceased were a nine-year-old boy and four women aged 52, 45, 75, and 67, according to the police report.
Approximately 40 of the wounded sustained serious or critical injuries.
Authorities reported that the suspected assailant accessed the Christmas market grounds through emergency exits, accelerating into the crowd and hitting over 200 people in a span of three minutes.
He was apprehended at the scene.
German officials have not publicly disclosed the suspect’s name, with local media referring to him solely as Taleb A. to comply with privacy laws.
We need your consent to load this rte-player content We use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content. Manage Preferences
Investigation will leave no stone unturned, says minister
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser stated that the criminal investigation would be thorough.
“The goal is to compile all findings and create a comprehensive profile of this perpetrator, who defies conventional categorization,” Ms. Faeser remarked.
“This assailant acted with unimaginable cruelty and brutality—similar to an Islamist terrorist, despite his clear ideological opposition to Islam,” she elaborated.
The suspect had previously expressed strong criticism of both German authorities and Islam.
He has participated in various media interviews in recent years, discussing his efforts to assist Saudi Arabians who sought to abandon Islam and seek refuge in Europe.
He also expressed support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party and American billionaire Elon Musk on the social media platform X, who has endorsed the AfD.
The AfD enjoys significant backing in the former East Germany, where Magdeburg is located.
Recent polls position it as the second most popular party nationally ahead of February’s elections.
The party’s members, including chancellor candidate Alice Weidel, are scheduled to hold a rally in Magdeburg tomorrow evening.
According to a source from Saudi Arabia and a German security source, Saudi Arabia repeatedly alerted Germany regarding concerns over the suspect’s social media posts.
The Christian Democrats, the primary opposition party in Germany, along with the Free Democrats, who were part of the coalition government until its collapse last month, have called for enhancements to Germany’s security measures, including improved coordination between federal and state officials.
“The underlying issues must be addressed. But most importantly, we need to take further steps to prevent such incidents, especially considering there were clearly specific warnings and tips in this case that were overlooked,” Sahra Wagenknecht, leader of the leftist BSW party, told the Welt newspaper.
The BSW, a new political party with far-left origins, has similarly denounced unchecked immigration and gained significant support leading up to the elections on 23 February.
Vigils held as Germany mourns people killed in attack
Chancellor Olaf Scholz, whose Social Democrats are currently trailing in opinion polls, attended a memorial service for the victims at Magdeburg cathedral yesterday.
The city has been engulfed in sorrow following the attack that claimed a nine-year-old life among the victims, with casualties receiving treatment in 15 regional hospitals.
A spontaneous memorial was established by grieving families and local residents at a church overlooking the Christmas market in Magdeburg yesterday.
Initially, as individuals laid flowers outside the church in the early hours of the morning, the atmosphere was filled with mourning and sorrow.
Andrea Reis, 57, arrived with her daughter Julia, 34, reflecting on their narrow escape from tragedy.
It was solely because her daughter insisted they continue to explore the market rather than stop for a meal that they avoided being caught in the path of the vehicle that barreled through the crowd, she recounted.
“The horrific sounds, children calling out for ‘mama, papa,’ and ‘help me’—those cries are echoing in my mind now,” Reis lamented, tears streaming down her cheek.
Another young woman sobbed uncontrollably, bent over in grief as an older couple consoled her.
