A Saudi doctor has been arrested following a deadly car attack at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany.
The suspect, Taleb A., a 50-year-old former refugee, has been identified as an outspoken anti-Islam activist with a history of controversial views.
Attack, which occurred just one day after the anniversary of the 2016 Berlin Christmas market attack, left at least two people dead, including a child, and dozens more injured.
According to reports, Taleb A. fled Saudi Arabia in 2006 and sought asylum in Germany, where he was granted official refugee status in 2016. He settled in Bernburg, working as a doctor and psychotherapist.
Over the years, Taleb became a prominent figure in the Saudi community in Germany, using his platform to promote anti-Islam rhetoric and women’s rights activism.
He ran a website and social media channels advocating for these causes, where he also warned refugees to avoid Germany due to what he described as the country’s tolerance for radical Islam.
Taleb A. was a vocal critic of the German government, particularly its approach to immigration and Islamization.
In posts shared in the days leading up to the attack, he accused authorities of censoring his views and claimed that the government was promoting the spread of Islam across Europe.
He also expressed pro-Israel sentiments following the October 7 terror attack, further aligning himself with Germany’s far-right political movements, including the anti-immigration AfD party.
On the day of the attack, Taleb A. allegedly drove his car into a crowded Christmas market in Magdeburg, injuring many and killing two people.
German authorities are treating the incident as a suspected terror attack, and investigations are ongoing in both Magdeburg and Bernburg, where Taleb A. lived.
Police operations are being conducted to gather further evidence.
The attack occurred just one day after the anniversary of the 2016 Berlin Christmas market attack, which tragically claimed the lives of 12 people and injured 56, marking one of the deadliest terrorist incidents in Germany’s history. The new attack has raised concerns about security at public events and the potential for radicalized individuals to carry out such violent acts.
Authorities continue to piece together the details of Taleb A.’s motivations and background, as police investigate any connections to extremist ideologies or terrorist groups. This incident underscores the growing challenges Germany faces in combating radicalization within its refugee and immigrant communities.
