A tragic attack at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, has left five people dead and more than 200 injured, with 41 in critical condition. The assault occurred Friday evening when a black BMW SUV was driven at high speed through a crowded market, plowing over people and causing devastating injuries. Among the deceased is a nine-year-old girl, and authorities are treating the injured at clinics across the country.
The suspect, 50-year-old Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, a Saudi national who has lived in Germany since 2006, was arrested shortly after the incident. Abdulmohsen, who was previously a psychiatrist and psychotherapist in Magdeburg, had been on social media expressing violent threats, including a warning that "something big will happen." Following the attack, forensic experts are investigating whether Abdulmohsen had intentionally disabled the emergency braking system of the vehicle to maximize its impact.
During a press conference, German police and prosecutors revealed that Abdulmohsen had bypassed security bollards designed to prevent vehicles from entering the market area. The vehicle drove through a designated emergency vehicle corridor before plowing into the crowds. While authorities confirmed initial questioning of Abdulmohsen, they did not disclose the suspect's statements.
Abdulmohsen’s motivations remain unclear, but chief prosecutor Horst Walter Nopens suggested that the attacker may have been dissatisfied with the treatment of Saudi Arabian refugees in Magdeburg. The suspect had a history of making violent threats on social media, including calling for the death of former Chancellor Angela Merkel for her refugee policies. He also described himself as a critic of Islam and had been ostracized by family and friends after renouncing his Muslim faith.
Saudi officials reportedly warned German authorities about Abdulmohsen's potential threat, though it is uncertain whether these warnings were acted upon. Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who visited the scene of the attack, condemned the assault as “terrible and insane,” emphasizing the shocking nature of an attack at a Christmas market, a place meant for peaceful celebration. This attack comes nearly eight years after a similar incident in Berlin, when a truck was driven into a Christmas market, killing 12 people.
Eyewitnesses described horror as the car drove through the market, reportedly aiming at a family-friendly area. Experts in terrorism noted the unusual nature of the attack, with Abdulmohsen’s background as an anti-Islam activist and his recent support for the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) party adding to the complexity of the case.
The attack has raised concerns over security at Christmas markets across Germany, with many markets tightening security in response. The Magdeburg market will remain closed, and the city has canceled many of its planned festivities. The incident casts a shadow over the holiday season, with one local official remarking, “Christmas is over in Magdeburg.”
The investigation continues, and the attack adds to the heightened political tensions in Germany, particularly surrounding immigration policies and security threats.
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