The man suspected of driving the attack that killed at least five people and injured many others at a German Christmas market has been charged with murder and attempted murder, police said Sunday.
Police in the central city of Magdeburg, where Friday's attack took place, also reported scuffles at a far-right demonstration attended by about 2,100 people on Saturday night, while other residents attended a solemn memorial service. Ta.
The suspect is a 50-year-old man from Saudi Arabia who has lived in Germany for about 20 years.
Police said in a statement that the man, identified in German media as Taleb al-Abdelmohsen, was ordered to take security action after prosecutors charged him with five counts of murder, including multiple attempted murders and grievous bodily harm. The judge ordered pretrial detention.
The deceased have been identified as a 9-year-old boy and four adult women, ages 52, 45, 75 and 67.
German authorities have not released the name of the suspect, who is a permanent resident of Germany, and media reports have not released the suspect's full name in accordance with local privacy laws.
Police reported a scuffle at a protest attended by about 2,100 people on Saturday night, the day after the attack.
Right-wingers promoted the rally on the messaging app Telegram as a “demonstration against terrorism.”
Demonstrators wearing black balaclavas were seen holding large banners with the word “immigrants” written on them, a term used to refer to immigrants and people who are not considered ethnically German. It's a term often used by far-right supporters who call for mass deportations.
The motive for Friday night's attack remains unclear.
Investigators are specifically looking into the suspect's criticism of German authorities' treatment of Saudi refugees.
He is also a vocal critic of Islam and has expressed support for the far-right party Alternative for Germany (AfD) on social media platform X.
