A murder trial has commenced in Germany for a Saudi doctor accused of deliberately driving a car into a crowded Christmas market in the city of Magdeburg last year, an attack that resulted in six fatalities.
The Attack and The Accused
The suspect, identified as 51-year-old Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, was transported by helicopter to a specially constructed temporary courtroom in Magdeburg. He appeared in court seated behind a screen of bulletproof glass. The prosecution alleges that on 20th December, al-Abdulmohsen used a rented BMW X3 to plough through the festive crowd for just over a minute, reaching speeds of up to 48 kph (30 mph).
The brief but brutal assault claimed the lives of five women and a boy, while leaving many others wounded. The defendant now faces six counts of murder and a staggering 338 counts of attempted murder. If convicted, he could be sentenced to life in prison.
Motive and Profile of the Perpetrator
During the opening session, prosecutor Matthias Böttcher stated that al-Abdulmohsen acted out of “supposed personal frustration”. His alleged goal was to hit as many people as possible to gain “the attention he wanted.” Investigators have confirmed he was not under the influence of alcohol and apparently acted alone, without accomplices.
Officials have noted that the suspect does not fit the typical profile of an extremist attacker. Al-Abdulmohsen described himself as an ex-Muslim who was highly critical of Islam and had expressed support for far-right views on social media. His motive is reportedly linked to dissatisfaction with the outcome of a prior legal dispute and the failure of various criminal complaints he had filed.
Legal Proceedings and Wider Impact
While the German legal system does not feature formal pleas, the defendant informed the court that he plans to respond to the charges against him for “hours, perhaps even for days.” The trial at the Magdeburg state court is scheduled to continue with sessions running until March.
The Magdeburg car-ramming was one of several attacks involving immigrants that brought the issue of migration to the forefront of the national conversation ahead of Germany's February election. The defendant, who arrived in Germany in 2006, had been granted permanent residency and was previously known to authorities for threatening behaviour, though not for acts of violence.
