Germany Christmas Market Attack – Ex Doctor Accused of Killing 6, Charged with Murder

German prosecutors have charged a 50-year-old man with murder after a car-ramming
attack on a Christmas market in Magdeburg left six people dead and hundreds more
injured.

Five women and a boy were killed and dozens wounded when the suspect drove a
rented BMW X3 through the crowded market on 20 December in an assault that lasted
little more than a minute.

The man, identified by authorities as a Saudi-born doctor who arrived in Germany in
2006 and holds permanent residency, faces six counts of murder, 338 of attempted
murder and 309 of causing bodily harm. He has also been charged with dangerous
interference with road traffic. Under German law, his name has not been publicly
released.

The indictment, filed at Magdeburg’s state court, alleges that he planned the attack for
weeks and intended to kill as many people as possible. Prosecutors said he acted
alone, was not under the influence of alcohol and was driven by “dissatisfaction and
frustration” over the outcome of a civil dispute and rejected criminal complaints.
The BMW reached speeds of up to 30mph during the rampage before the driver was
stopped.

Officials have said the man does not match the profile of extremist attackers. He had
described himself as an ex-Muslim critical of Islam and had posted support for far-right
positions on social media. Although previously known to police for threatening
behaviour, he had no record of violent crime.

If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. The court will decide
whether to send the case to trial.

Photo – Ebrahim Noroozi/The Associated Press