Saudi Arabia on Saturday condemned a tragic car-ramming incident at a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg, which left four people dead and injured scores.
The Kingdom’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in an official statement, expressed solidarity with the German people and extended heartfelt condolences to the victims' families and the German government.
“The Kingdom affirms its rejection of all forms of violence and offers sincere wishes for the swift recovery of those injured,” the statement said.
The incident unfolded on Friday evening when a car ploughed into a crowd at the bustling Christmas market. German authorities reported 41 individuals critically injured, 86 receiving treatment for serious injuries, and another 78 sustaining minor injuries.
A 50-year-old Saudi national, identified in German media as Taleb A., has been detained in connection with the attack. The suspect, a doctor who has lived in Germany for nearly two decades, is being investigated, with police searching his residence overnight.
Motive unclear, investigations ongoing
Authorities remain tight-lipped about the suspect's motives. According to a report by Der Spiegel, the man had expressed sympathy for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, a controversial political faction known for its anti-immigration stance.
Germany’s FAZ newspaper highlighted a 2019 interview with the suspect, where he described himself as a vocal critic of Islam. “People like me, with an Islamic background but who are no longer believers, are not understood or tolerated by Muslims here,” he was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has confirmed that it had previously alerted German authorities about extremist views shared by the suspect on his personal account on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). The posts reportedly included threats to peace and security.
The German government has launched a comprehensive investigation into the incident, which has cast a shadow over the festive season. Chancellor Olaf Scholz extended condolences to the victims' families, pledging to ensure that those responsible are held accountable.
