Canada Global (Web News) A man accused of driving a car into a German Christmas market, resulting in the deaths of at least five people and injuries to many others, has been charged with murder and attempted murder, police announced on Sunday after he was placed in custody.
Authorities in the central city of Magdeburg, where the attack occurred on Friday, also reported clashes at a far-right demonstration attended by approximately 2,100 people on Saturday night, while other residents participated in solemn remembrance ceremonies.
The suspect, a 50-year-old Saudi Arabian man who has lived in Germany for nearly 20 years, has been placed in pretrial custody after being charged with five counts of murder, multiple counts of attempted murder, and grievous bodily harm, according to a police statement.
Identified by German media as Taleb A., the man has permanent residency in Germany. Authorities, adhering to local privacy laws, have not disclosed his full name.
The victims of the attack include a nine-year-old boy and four women aged 45, 52, 67, and 75.
On Saturday night, one day after the attack, police reported clashes at a protest attended by about 2,100 people. Right-wing activists had organized the gathering on the messaging app Telegram, describing it as a “demonstration against terror.” Protesters, some wearing black balaclavas, displayed a large banner with the word “remigration,” a term associated with far-right calls for the mass deportation of migrants and those not considered ethnically German.
The motive behind Friday night’s attack remains unclear. Investigators are exploring various possibilities, including the suspect’s criticism of Germany’s treatment of Saudi refugees. Suspect had also expressed strong anti-Islam views and support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party on the social media platform X.
