A 50-year-old Saudi citizen accused of killing five people, including a nine-year-old boy, by driving a car into a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg has been remanded in custody, officials confirmed on Saturday.
The incident occurred on Friday evening when a black BMW ploughed through a crowded market, leaving over 200 injured.
The accused, identified in local media as Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, was brought before a district court where the judge ordered his pre-trial detention on charges of murder, attempted murder, and dangerous bodily harm.
Police confirmed that four women, aged 45, 52, 67, and 75, along with the boy, lost their lives in the attack.
Eyewitness accounts
Witnesses described scenes of chaos and horror as the car sped through the market. Nadine, an eyewitness, recounted how her boyfriend Marco was struck and pulled away from her side. "It was terrible," she told a local newspaper.
Lars Frohmüller, a journalist for public broadcaster MDR, described seeing "blood on the floor" and "doctors trying to keep people warm and treat their injuries."
Emergency services, including 100 police officers, firefighters, medics, and 50 rescue personnel, responded to the tragedy shortly after 7pm local time.
Investigations and reactions
Prosecutor Horst Walter Nopens said investigations are ongoing, with a potential motive pointing to the suspect’s dissatisfaction with how Saudi Arabian refugees are treated in Germany. Police stated the car entered the market through a restricted entry point designated for emergency vehicles.
Magdeburg officials revealed that al-Abdulmohsen, a psychiatrist residing in Bernburg, moved to Germany in 2006 and was granted refugee status in 2016. Reports suggest he ran a website assisting ex-Muslims seeking asylum from Gulf countries.
Authorities have found no links between the accused and Islamist extremism, but his social media posts reportedly show criticism of Islam.
Saudi govt warnings
A Saudi government source disclosed that four diplomatic warnings had been sent to German authorities about al-Abdulmohsen’s "extreme views," which were allegedly ignored. However, a counter-terrorism expert speculated that Saudi authorities might be attempting to discredit the suspect, given his work helping Saudi women flee persecution.
A memorial service was held at Magdeburg Cathedral on Saturday evening, attended by the victims’ families, emergency responders, and federal officials, including Chancellor Olaf Scholz. Scholz expressed grief over the "dreadful tragedy," highlighting the brutality of the attack in a place meant for joy.
He assured reporters that all resources would be devoted to the investigation, while Reiner Haseloff, the premier of Saxony-Anhalt state, stated that preliminary findings indicate the suspect acted alone.
