Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, a 50-year-old Saudi Arabian doctor, is facing charges of five counts of murder, along with multiple counts of attempted murder and aggravated assault, following an attack in Magdeburg, Germany, where he is accused of driving into a Christmas market, killing four women and a nine-year-old boy.
Al-Abdulmohsen's court appearance on Saturday evening comes as more details emerge about the attack and potential motives. Due to German privacy laws, authorities have not released his full name but confirmed his first name is Taleb. U.S. officials familiar with the case later confirmed to NBC News that he is the suspect.
The attack took place on Friday, when a black BMW drove into a crowded Christmas market, injuring 200 people, with about 40 in critical condition. The victims included a 9-year-old boy and four women aged 52, 45, 67, and 75. Al-Abdulmohsen bypassed security bollards designed to prevent such attacks and entered the market through a gap intended for emergency vehicles, according to Tom-Oliver Langhans, the director of Magdeburg police. He then drove 1,200 feet at high speed through the crowded area, knocking over many pedestrians. Forensic experts are investigating whether he deliberately disabled the car’s emergency braking system to increase the impact. Minutes later, armed police arrested al-Abdulmohsen near the wrecked vehicle in a dramatic scene witnessed by bystanders.
The investigation is ongoing, with Magdeburg Police appealing for any photos or videos of the incident. While al-Abdulmohsen has been questioned, authorities have not disclosed his statements. The motive remains unclear, but officials have suggested that his actions could stem from dissatisfaction with the treatment of Saudi refugees in Germany.
German authorities have confirmed that al-Abdulmohsen acted alone, a situation former New York State Homeland Security Advisor Michael Balboni described as the “worst case scenario for security officials.” “This came out of nowhere,” Balboni said. “You can monitor social media, but for the most part you’re not going to know the timing on this or what they’re going to do.”
Al-Abdulmohsen had previously expressed anger toward German police and the country, allegedly stating that “the nation that is actively criminally chasing Islam critics to ruin their lives is the German nation.” He arrived in Germany in 2006, sought asylum in 2016, citing threats from Saudi Arabia, and worked as a psychiatrist at a clinic in Bernberg, about 25 miles south of Magdeburg. The clinic confirmed he had not been on duty since October, due to illness and vacation.
His online activity includes inflammatory content on X (formerly Twitter), and he has been associated with far-right movements in Germany, including the anti-immigration Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. When asked whether the attacker could have been prevented, a police spokesperson, Nopens, said, “We didn’t have the perpetrator in our focus.”
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