Shock in Advent: Terrorist man drifts through Magdeburg Christmas market!

Shock in Advent: Terrorist man drifts through Magdeburg Christmas market!

In a shocking scene just before Christmas, a 50-year-old doctor raced through the Magdeburg Christmas market in his SUV. This tragic incident claimed at least five lives, including a small child, and injured numerous others. The suspected perpetrator, Taleb A., was quickly arrested by the police. The man, who had lived in Germany since 2006 and was recognized as a political refugee, had previously looked after addicts in the prison system. The reporting through Today.at reveals his complicated history, including possible mental illness and extremist views.

Extremist statements and a life in the shadows

Taleb A. was known for his negative attitude towards Islam. He already said this in an interview with the in 2019 Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that there is “no good Islam”. His critical statements against religion and his connections to the AfD cast dark shadows over his life. During his time in Germany, he became active on social media, where he wrote thousands of posts against Islam and made a name for himself as a supporter of escape options for Saudi women and men.

Despite his open struggles with religion and possible radicalizing tendencies, the 50-year-old was not known to the German authorities as an Islamist. Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff made it clear that for the time being it was an individual perpetrator and that there was no further threat. According to reports, however, warnings from Saudi Arabia reached the authorities pointing out A.'s threatening statements on social media. The investigation is ongoing and the motive for this terrible act remains unclear.