German Christmas market attack latest: Tributes to 9-year-old amid concerns over security and intelligence lapse
Nine-year-old child among five dead with 200 other people injured in attack, including 40 critical
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Your support makes all the difference.Law enforcement in Germany is facing criticisms over security and intelligence failure after a Saudi national rammed a car into a crowd at a busy Christmas market in Magdeburg, killing five people and injuring dozens.
German interior minister Nancy Faeser and the heads of intelligence services are expected to answer questions at parliamentary committee hearings on 30 December.
German authorities social media said it received a tip in late summer 2023, which was "taken seriously”. Police said in a dispute over the recognition of examination results, the suspect threatened members of the state medical association with an act that would attract international attention.
Authorities named the nine-year-old boy who was among five people killed, as thousands of pounds were raised for his grieving family.
In a heartbreaking social media post, the mother of André Gleißner paid tribute to her son, saying: “Let my little teddy bear fly around the world again. André didn’t do anything to anybody. He was only with us on earth for nine years. Why you? Just why.”
Meanwhile, the Saudi doctor accused of driving into the market in Magdeburg has appeared in court.
Who is the German Christmas market attack suspect? A Saudi doctor and far-right supporter
German Christmas market attack: Everything we know as car attack kills five and injures hundreds
Mother pays tribute to boy, 9, killed in German Christmas market attack: ‘Let my little teddy bear fly’
UK Christmas market has reviewed its security in wake of Magdeburg attack
Far-right gather in Magdeburg
A far-right rally gathered in eastern germany after five people - including a child - were killed in an attack on a Christmas market.
Around 1,000 people congregated in the city of Magdeburg on Saturday night, after misinformation about the motives of the suspected attacker spread online.
The crowd was seen with a banner with the word ‘Remigration’ and local media reported there were some minor altercations with the police.
Police have arrested a 50-year-old Saudi doctor identified by local media as Taleb A, who had lived in Germany since 2006 and reportedly sympathised with Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany party.
Interior minister Nancy Faeser expressed concern that the attack could be exploited by the far right, but said little could be done to prevent seemingly coordinated gatherings.
On Saturday, she also described the suspect as an Islamaphobe.