Germany says Christmas market attack toll rises to 5

Police arrested a 50-year-old Saudi medical doctor at the site of a deadly assault on Friday night, where an SUV plowed through a crowded Christmas market in Magdeburg, killing 5 people, including a child, and injuring over 200 people.

The attack turned one of Germany’s most cherished festive traditions into a scene of terror and carnage.

Authorities are still investigating the motive behind the attack, with uncertainty over whether it was religiously-inspired or linked to psychological issues.

“The motives remain mysterious,” wrote the weekly Der Spiegel. No extremist group has claimed responsibility, although SITE Intelligence Group reported celebratory messages online from Islamic State supporters.

Police and ambulances next to the Christmas market in MagdeburgAFP

Eyewitnesses recounted horror scenes as the black BMW tore through the market for 400 meters. “We didn’t hear the car,” Nadine, 32, told Bild daily, describing how her partner was pulled from her side by the speeding vehicle. “It was terrible,” she said.

The market, illuminated with sparkling Christmas decorations and filled with families enjoying festive stalls, was in chaos, with screams echoing through the crowd.

The local Volksstimme newspaper reported that the attacker appeared to deliberately zigzag through the crowd, aiming to strike as many people as possible.

Police and ambulances cordoned off the area, where dozens of emergency responders worked to aid the injured amid a trail of blood and debris.

German media identified the suspect as Taleb A., a psychiatric doctor who has lived in Germany since 2006 and holds a permanent residence permit.

Some media pointed to his social media posts critical of Islam, warning of the "dangers" of the Islamization of Germany.

The attack comes almost eight years after Germany's deadliest jihadist assault, when a Tunisian man drove a truck into a Berlin Christmas market, killing 13 people.

Friday's events have reignited heated debates over immigration and security ahead of the Feb. 23 elections. Alice Weidel, leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), tweeted, “When will this madness stop?”

Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Interior Minister Nancy Faeser are set to visit the site Saturday, alongside regional premier Reiner Haseloff, who pledged to discuss “necessary measures” to prevent such incidents.

President Frank-Walter Steinmeier expressed sorrow, saying, “The anticipation of a peaceful Christmas was suddenly interrupted.”

Germany’s security services have long warned of threats to Christmas markets, which they consider targets for Islamist-motivated individuals. Faeser recently urged vigilance but noted no specific threats had been identified.

The tragedy has left Magdeburg in mourning. A memorial service is planned at the city’s cathedral, and flowers have already been left at the market.

“I thought I was just going to a Christmas market, and then something like this happens,” an eyewitness told Welt. “The world is sick.”