Magdeburg Christmas Market Attack Suspect Held Anti-Islam Views
The suspect, referred to as Taleb A. in reports by The Guardian, fled Saudi Arabia in 2006, citing opposition to its Islamic government. He was granted refugee status in Germany in 2016.
Settling in Bernburg, the 50-year-old worked as a doctor and psychotherapist, gaining prominence within the Saudi community in Germany as a critic of Islam and an advocate for women’s rights, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The suspect maintained a website and social media platforms where he expressed his views, warning refugees against seeking asylum in Germany due to what he described as the government’s tolerance for radical Islam.
Read More:
He also expressed support for Germany's far-right, anti-immigration party, Alternative for Germany (AfD), and shared pro-Israel content following the October 7 Hamas operation, according to the Journal.
The incident occurred at a Magdeburg Christmas market, where the suspect allegedly drove his vehicle into a crowd, killing two people, including a child, and injuring dozens. Authorities have labeled the incident a suspected terror attack.
Police investigations are ongoing in both Magdeburg and Bernburg, where the suspect resides.
The timing of the attack, one day after the anniversary of the 2016 Berlin Christmas market attack that killed 12 and injured 56, has heightened public attention. The Berlin incident remains Germany’s deadliest terror attack to date.
Source: Agencies
