Saudi Arabia had reportedly issued three warnings to German authorities about the suspect behind the Christmas market attack in Magdeburg that left five dead and hundreds injured on Friday. According to German newspaper Der Spiegel, Saudi officials had alerted German security services about the perpetrator, Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, though the specifics of these warnings remain unclear.
News agency Reuters cited a source as saying that the warnings were based on the attacker’s extremist views posted on social media, which raised concerns about potential threats to public safety and security. Additionally, reports suggest that the suspect, who held Islamophobic beliefs, may have been under the influence of drugs at the time of the attack, as he tested positive for substances following his arrest.
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The 50-year-old suspect had previously posted disturbing messages on social media, including one where he promised "revenge will come soon, even if it costs me my life." German authorities also revealed that they had raided his home in Bernburg, located around 25 miles south of Magdeburg, and discovered that he had rented a car shortly before carrying out the attack.
Psychologist al-Abdulmohsen, who fled Saudi Arabia and arrived in Germany as a refugee in 2006, was arrested on Friday evening at the scene of the attack and taken into custody. In 2013, he was convicted by a German court for "disrupting public peace by threatening criminal acts," as reported by Der Spiegel. Three years later, al-Abdulmohsen applied for asylum in Germany, and his request was granted within four months.
German authorities confirmed that emergency services were first alerted to the attack at 7:02 pm local time and had the situation under control by 7:05 pm. Prosecutors plan to charge the suspect, who drove his vehicle into the crowd at the Christmas market, with murder and attempted murder, according to the head of the local prosecutor’s office.
While the motive for the attack is still under investigation, the prosecutor in Magdeburg suggested that the suspect’s frustration with Germany’s treatment of Saudi refugees could have played a role. Initially, two deaths were reported from the attack, but the toll has since risen to five.
Published: 22 Dec 2024, 11:44 am IST
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