Suspect behind German Christmas market attack 'Islamophobic', authorities say

NEWS WIRES

21 December 2024 at 8:56 am·1-min read

The Saudi suspect behind the deadly car attack on a Christmas market in Germany is believed to be “Islamophobic”, the interior minister said Saturday. The 50-year-old doctor, now under arrest, said German authorities had not done enough to fight the “Islamism of Europe” and had also voiced support for the far-right and anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany party.

Germany on Saturday was still in shock and struggling to understand the suspect behind the attack in the city of Magdeburg.

Identified by local media as 50-year-old Taleb A., a psychiatry and psychotherapy specialist, authorities said he has been living in Germany for two decades. He was arrested on site after plowing a black BMW into a Christmas market crowded with holiday shoppers Friday evening, killing at least five people and wounding about 200 others.

Prominent German terrorism expert Peter Neumann posted on X that he had yet to come across a suspect in an act of mass violence with that profile.

Taleb’s X account is filled with tweets and retweets focusing on anti-Islam themes and criticism of the religion while sharing congratulatory notes to Muslims who left the faith. He also described himself as a former Muslim.

(AP)

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