A 50-year-old Saudi doctor who had been living in Germany for nearly two decades is suspected of killing five people by driving an SUV into a crowded Christmas market. The attack has left the country stunned, and officials are struggling to piece together the suspect’s profile.
The authorities describe the suspect as a psychiatrist who worked at the Salus Clinic in Bernburg, treating offenders with drug addiction. However, they say he is still trying to determine his motives. The victims included a 9-year-old boy and four women aged 45-75.
Mourners visited a memorial set up near the market, while demonstrators chanted “Deport! Deport!” at a rally in the same square on Saturday night. The suspect was questioned on Saturday but ordered to remain in detention as authorities continue their investigations.
Germany’s domestic security agency chief, Holger Münch, said the authorities had received a warning about the suspect from Saudi Arabia in November 2023. However, they did not treat it as a signal that he was plotting an attack, citing that the tip-off was “so unspecific” and the man was not seen to be capable of violent acts.
The suspect’s social media posts showed him criticizing Germany for tolerating radical Islam and expressing support for the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany party. However, Münch described his activity as “atypical” and did not fit into the description of a far-right extremist.
Witnesses recalled that the suspect had become increasingly aggressive in his criticism of Islam over several years, seeing the German government and fellow refugee activists as plotting against him. Those who interacted with him online reported being upset or provoked by his messages.
The doctor lived in a quiet house near the clinic, where he would often walk to work without owning a car. His neighbors described him as friendly but private, saying they never spoke to him.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/12/22/world/europe/germany-christmas-market-attack.html