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German market attack latest: Suspect made 2013 threat, minister reveals, as more rallies planned tonight

Nine-year-old child among five dead with 200 other people injured in attack, including 40 critical

Alisha Rahaman Sarkar,Holly Evans
Monday 23 December 2024 12:53 GMT
Far-right protesters rally in Magdeburg after German Christmas market attack

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The suspect in the German Christmas market attack that killed five people had “threatened to do something that would attract international attention” in 2013.

A state interior minister has revealed he was flagged as a potential threat the following year and was fined, after a search of his property and an investigation found no evidence he was preparing to carry out an act.

Law enforcement in Germany is facing criticisms over security and intelligence failure after the Saudi national rammed a car into a crowd at a busy Christmas market in Magdeburg, which has injured over 200 people.

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.

Pictured: Memorial grows in Magdeburg

(AFP via Getty Images)
(AFP via Getty Images)
(AFP via Getty Images)
Athena Stavrou22 December 2024 10:17

Nine-year-old boy among the dead

Authorities have confirmed that a nine-year-old boy is among the five people who were killed in an attack on a Christmas market in eastern Germany.

Magdeburg police said that the other victims were four women, aged 45, 52, 67 and 75.

205 people were injured in the attack including 41 in critical condition.

Athena Stavrou22 December 2024 09:47

Watch: Far-right protesters rally in Magdeburg after German Christmas market attack

Far-right protesters rally in Magdeburg after German Christmas market attack
Athena Stavrou22 December 2024 09:31

Suspect remanded after appearing before judge

The suspected driver of the car that rammed into a Christmas market in Germany has been remanded in custody after appearing in court on Saturday night.

“The judge ordered pre-trial detention for five counts of murder, multiple attempted murder and multiple counts of dangerous bodily harm,” its statement said.

Five people, including a nine-year-old child, have died following the attack on Friday night.

Athena Stavrou22 December 2024 08:55

Pictured: Far-right in Magdeburg

(REUTERS)
(REUTERS)
(REUTERS)
Athena Stavrou22 December 2024 08:35

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.

Athena Stavrou22 December 2024 08:33

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