Magdeburg: German authorities are investigating a Saudi man as the suspected driver in a devastating car-ramming attack at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, which killed five people and injured over 200, officials confirmed Saturday. The suspect reportedly has a history of anti-Islam rhetoric.
The incident, occurring Friday evening, targeted festive crowds at the market, sparking renewed debates over security and migration as Germany approaches a contentious election. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has seen a surge in polling amid these discussions.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz visited the city, located in former East Germany, to pay his respects. Laying a white rose at a church in honor of the victims, Scholz called the attack “a terrible act.”
“We have now learned that over 200 people have been injured,” Scholz stated. “Almost 40 are so seriously injured that we must be very worried about them.”
German authorities are investigating a Saudi man with a history of anti-Islam rhetoric as the suspected driver in a car-ramming attack at a Christmas market in Magdeburg which killed five people https://t.co/ywZsQbDTAi pic.twitter.com/iccUhTgzk6
— Reuters (@Reuters) December 21, 2024
Suspect Under Scrutiny
Police apprehended the 50-year-old Saudi suspect, identified by German media as Taleb A., at the scene. Authorities conducted an overnight search of his residence, but the motive remains unclear.
The suspect, a doctor and psychiatrist who has resided in Germany for nearly two decades, was reportedly on leave from his job at a Bernburg rehabilitation clinic. A clinic spokesperson confirmed he had been absent since October due to health and holiday leave.
Investigators revealed posts from the suspect’s verified X (formerly Twitter) account that displayed support for far-right groups, including the AfD, and criticism of Germany’s handling of Saudi refugees.
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser acknowledged the suspect’s apparent Islamophobia but refrained from speculating on his motive.
Warnings Ignored
Saudi Arabian authorities had reportedly warned Germany about the suspect’s extremist online activities, which they claimed posed a threat to peace and security. According to a Saudi source, these warnings were issued multiple times since the man’s departure from Saudi Arabia in 2006.
Despite this, a German risk assessment conducted last year concluded he posed “no specific danger,” as reported by the Welt newspaper. Both domestic and foreign intelligence agencies have declined to comment on the ongoing investigation.
Survivors and Shock
Andrea Reis, a survivor of the attack, returned to the market with her daughter to lay a candle in remembrance of the victims. She recounted her narrow escape, explaining how a last-minute decision to keep walking likely saved their lives.
“I said, ‘let’s go and get a sausage,’ but my daughter said, ‘no, let’s keep walking around.’ If we’d stayed where we were, we’d have been in the car’s path,” she said, visibly emotional.
Describing the chaotic aftermath, she added, “Children screaming, crying for mama. You can’t forget that.”
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Political Ramifications
The attack has intensified Germany’s political debates ahead of snap elections on February 23. Scholz’s Social Democrats are trailing behind both the far-right AfD and the conservative opposition in opinion polls.
AfD leaders Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla condemned the attack in a joint statement, calling it a horrific act in the midst of the peaceful pre-Christmas season.
The Christmas market attack has not only shaken Magdeburg but has reignited broader concerns over security, migration policies, and extremism in Germany.
