Five people were killed and dozens injured in an attack at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, carried out by a Saudi refugee. The suspect, a 50-year-old Saudi doctor who was granted asylum in Germany in 2016 and resides in Bernburg, has been arrested by the police.
According to the investigation, the suspect rented a BMW and drove a short distance to the market, where he then accelerated and ran over several people. Following the incident, the head of the Christmas market urged attendees to leave immediately, while police cordoned off the city center and used loudspeakers to instruct people to evacuate the area.
Interior Minister Nancy Faeser had called for heightened caution during the Christmas holiday period, stating, “Given the high level of theoretical threat, we still have reason to remain extremely vigilant and take consistent actions to ensure our security.” The Foreign Minister and Chancellor Olaf Scholz will visit the site of the attack.
According to press reports, the suspect tested positive for drugs, indicating that he was under their influence. The Saudi refugee was an anti-Islamist activist who assisted opponents of the Saudi regime in fleeing the country and had appeared in various media outlets as a human rights advocate for Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi refugee had previously stated on the X platform that he would take violent action to protest what he believed was the German authorities’ promotion of Islamists. He was also a supporter of the AfD and actively campaigned for the party.
He launched the “Louder Voice” campaign on X, declaring that Germany would pay a steep price. He chose the word “Socrates” as a symbol to initiate his attack. Following this, he posted a video on X in which he blamed Germany for the death of Socrates, referring to the European spirit rooted in Greek civilization.
The information reported by the German media raises doubts about his psychological stability. He had previously accused civil organizations focused on asylum of hindering the activities of former Muslims. Additionally, he filed a complaint with the Cologne police last year against Saudi activists, which was rejected. He then accused the police of stealing a USB drive that contained evidence against these activists.
According to the Magdeburg police, the suspect acted alone in committing the crime, and there is no evidence of any other vehicle being linked to the incident. The police are continuing their search, particularly in Berenberg, which is located 50 kilometers from Magdeburg, where the suspect was employed.
In a similar attack in 2016, a radical Islamist refugee hijacked a truck and drove into Breitscheidplatz square, resulting in the deaths of 13 people and injuries to 70 others. The attacker later fled to Italy, where he was shot dead by Italian police.
