Attack in Magdeburg: Four lifeless – suspect had introduced the assault months in the past | EUROtoday

A driver drove into a bunch of individuals on the Christmas market in Magdeburg. Four folks have been killed, together with a small little one. Initially there was solely discuss of two fatalities.

According to info from safety circles, 41 folks have been significantly injured. “Bild” and different media reported a complete of greater than 200 injured.

The suspected perpetrator is in police custody. He is a physician from Saudi Arabia who has lived in Germany since 2006 and lives in Bernburg, south of Magdeburg. According to info from WELT, a police operation came about there late on Friday night. According to “Bild”, he could have been beneath medication when he dedicated the crime. An preliminary drug wipe take a look at was optimistic, the paper stories with out offering any sources.

According to present information, the person is a lone perpetrator. He is called an anti-Islamist activist and helped different regime opponents go away the nation. Especially in 2019, he appeared in a number of media retailers from FAZ to BBC to advertise his mission for human rights in Saudi Arabia.

According to now-deleted postings on X, which can be found to WELT, he had already introduced an act of violence in May. Apparently he had turn into more and more bought on the concept that the German safety authorities have been selling Islamism. He referred to as for the German borders to be closed to Islamists and campaigned for the AfD. His posts learn more and more complicated. Users reported him to X, and a few of his posts have been deleted.

These postings mentioned that he wished to take revenge and launch a “louder voice” marketing campaign. He would possibly die within the course of. Germany pays a really excessive value. He introduced the code phrase “Socrates” for his motion, which he really posted shortly earlier than the crime.

400 meters within the BMW over the Christmas market

In a video on X, which he apparently revealed instantly after the crime, he mentioned that he held the German nation answerable for the killing of Socrates. From the context it’s clear that he clearly means the European spirit, which works again to Greek civilization.

He stories that he filed a prison grievance in opposition to different Saudi activists with the Cologne police in 2023, however the police rejected it. The officers accused him of being confused, he claims within the put up.

He additionally claims police stole a USB stick containing proof from a letter in his mailbox. Therefore, German residents are accountable if he’s convicted. The narrative appears disjointed. He additionally makes equally complicated accusations in opposition to asylum NGOs that wished to stop the activism of ex-Muslims.

According to investigators, the person had rented a BMW earlier than the crime and drove 400 meters into the Christmas market. There was a bit of baggage on the passenger seat. No explosive gadget was discovered within the car.

A video exhibiting an arrest on Ernst-Reuter-Allee close to the crime scene exhibits a person mendacity on his abdomen on the bottom. Several cops strategy him with weapons drawn. Apparently they assume that he may very well be carrying explosives. “Careful, don’t get too close,” one of many cops will be heard saying.

Shortly after the crime, the pinnacle of the Christmas market referred to as for folks to go away the town middle. The police cordoned off the town middle and pedestrians have been requested by megaphone to go away the realm.

Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser just lately repeatedly referred to as for vigilance when visiting Christmas markets. There are presently no concrete indications of hazard, mentioned the SPD politician on the finish of November. “But given the high level of threat in the abstract, we still have reason to be very vigilant and take consistent action to ensure our security.”

Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and Nancy Faeser (SPD) had introduced a go to for right this moment.

The act is harking back to the terrorist assault on the Christmas market on Berlin’s Breitscheidplatz, which solely celebrated its eighth anniversary on Thursday. On December 19, 2016, an Islamist terrorist hijacked a truck and drove into the Christmas market. A complete of 13 folks died on account of the crime, one among them in consequence years later. More than 70 folks have been injured, a few of them significantly. The murderer fled to Italy, the place he was shot lifeless by the police.