Identified by local media as 50-year-old Taleb A., a psychiatry and psychotherapy specialist, authorities said he has been living in Germany for two decades
Germany: Footage shows arrest of Magdeburg attack suspect
The suspect whose callous car-ramming attack at a Christmas market in Germany left the country reeling is a Saudi exile who described himself as an “ex-Muslim”.
Germany has been left struggling to understand after the horrendous attack in the central city of Magdeburg. A man later reported as Taleb al-Abdulmohsen was filmed being arrested after ploughing a black BMW into the market, which was packed with holiday shoppers on Friday night. At least five people, including a child, were killed with 200 left injured, 40 of them said to be in a grave condition in hospital.
The 50-year-old attacker reportedly worked as a psychiatry and psychotherapy specialist in a town close to the city, authorities said, adding that he had lived in Germany for around two decades after being granted asylum from his native Saudi Arabia.
Prominent German terrorism expert Peter Neumann said on Twitter he had yet to come across a suspect in an act of mass violence with the same profile as Taleb A, as his name has been reported in German media. The suspect’s X account is filled with tweets and retweets focusing on anti-Islam themes and criticism of the religion while sharing congratulatory notes to Muslims who left the faith. He also described himself as a former Muslim.
The suspect appeared to be a frequent user of social media, where he expressed his hateful views. Just months ago on his account there was a sickening pledge to commit an atrocity similar to the one seen last night, with him describing “slaughtering Germans indiscriminately” as a “path to justice” over what he saw as the “Islamisation of Europe”.
He was critical of German authorities, saying they had failed to do enough to combat the “Islamism of Europe.” He has also voiced support for the far-right and anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
Some described him as an activist who helped Saudi women flee their homeland. Recently, he seemed focused on his theory that German authorities have been targeting Saudi asylum seekers.
In one video that has been shared online by German media, the suspect is seen speaking to the BBC in 2019 about his activism work, helping others get safe asylum outside of Saudi Arabia.
During the clip, he calls himself an “ex-Muslim” living in exile in Germany after his life was “threatened” in Saudi Arabia. He added that he spent between 10 to 16 hours per day helping asylum seekers through various social media channels.
Terrorism expert Neumann wrote: “After 25 years in this `business’ you think nothing could surprise you anymore. But a 50-year-old Saudi ex-Muslim who lives in East Germany, loves the AfD and wants to punish Germany for its tolerance towards Islamists – that really wasn’t on my radar.”
On Saturday, German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser told reporters: “At this point, we can only say for sure that the perpetrator was evidently Islamophobic – we can confirm that. Everything else is a matter for further investigation and we have to wait.”
Taleb was such a concern that his online behaviour elicited an alert from Saudi authorities to their counterparts in Germany. According to Saudi security sources, the man was a Shia Muslim from the eastern city of Al-Hofuf.
