Christmas market suspect in Germany detained by judge

A man accused of murdering four women and a 9-year-old boy by driving a car into them at a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg has been detained.

The 50-year-old man was brought before the Magdeburg district court on Saturday evening following the incident on Friday when a black BMW car drove through a crowded market, injuring more than 200 people.

Magdeburg police said investigations are continuing and officers are appealing for witnesses to submit photos or videos of the incident.

Local media named the suspect as Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, a 50-year-old Saudi citizen who came to Germany in 2006 and worked as a doctor.

On Sunday morning, Magdeburg police confirmed that four women – aged 45, 52, 67 and 75 – were also killed in the incident.

“The judge ordered pre-trial detention on five counts of murder, multiple counts of attempted murder and multiple counts of causing dangerous bodily harm,” the court statement said.

City officials said about 100 police, medics and firefighters as well as 50 rescue workers arrived at the scene shortly after 7pm local time (6pm GMT) on Friday.

Witnesses described having to jump out of the car’s path during the attack.

In an interview with German newspaper Bild, a woman named Nadine described being at the Christmas market with her boyfriend Marco when a car sped towards them.

“He was beaten and pulled away from me,” the 32-year-old man told the newspaper. “It’s terrible.”

Lars Frohmüller, a reporter for German public broadcaster MDR, told BBC Radio 4’s World Tonight program that he saw “blood on the floor” as well as “many doctors trying to keep people warm and help them.” wound treatment”.

A memorial service for the victims of the attack was held at Magdeburg Cathedral on Saturday evening

The ceremony was attended by victims’ families, emergency workers and federal government officials, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz.

During a visit to the market earlier on Saturday, Scholz described the attack as a “terrible tragedy” because “so many people were injured and killed in such a brutal way” in a place that was supposed to be “happy.” ”.

He told reporters there were serious concerns for those seriously injured and “all resources” would be allocated to investigate the suspects behind the attack.

Previously, Reiner Haseloff, premier of Saxony-Anhalt state, said the preliminary investigation showed that the alleged attacker acted alone.

Prosecutor Horst Walter Nopens said on Saturday the investigation was ongoing but suggested a potential motive for the attack “could be dissatisfaction with the treatment of Saudi Arabian refugees in Germany”. .

Al-Abdulmohsen is believed to have driven into the market through an entrance reserved for emergency vehicles, police said.

The suspect is a psychiatrist who lives in Bernburg, about 40km south of Magdeburg.

Originally from Saudi Arabia, al-Abdulmohsen came to Germany in 2006 and in 2016 was recognized as a refugee.

He runs a website aimed at helping other former Muslims fleeing persecution in their Gulf homeland.

The suspected attacker has no connection to Islamic extremism. His social media and posts appear to show he has been critical of Islam.

A source close to the Saudi Arabian government told the BBC that it had sent four official notices known as “Verbal Notes” to German authorities, warning them about what they considered “important”. very extreme point” by al-Abdulmohsen.

The source, who requested anonymity, said these notices were ignored.

However, another experienced counterterrorism expert said the Saudis may be waging a disinformation campaign to discredit the person who tried to help young Saudi women seek asylum in Germany.

Additional reporting by Frank Gardner.