Saudi psychiatrist on trial over Magdeburg Christmas market attack
A Saudi doctor, Taleb Jawad al‑Abdulmohsen, 51, has gone on trial in Magdeburg, eastern Germany, accused of deliberately driving a rental SUV into a crowded Christmas market on December 20, 2024. The assault killed six people — including a nine‑year‑old boy and five women aged between 45 and 75 — and injured more than 300 others, prosecutors say.
Courtroom opening and defendant's statement
Prosecutor Matthias Boettcher told the court that the defendant intended "to kill a large number of people" by steering the two‑tonne vehicle deliberately into a mass of pedestrians. Abdulmohsen was arrested beside the damaged vehicle shortly after the attack.
On the first day of the trial, Abdulmohsen sat in a bullet‑proof dock and at times smiled; in the afternoon he spoke for roughly an hour and a half. He told the court, "I am the one who drove the car," but offered no expression of remorse. Much of his address consisted of lengthy, at times disjointed, denunciations of politicians, the police and the media and remarks on unrelated topics such as religion and violence against women in Saudi Arabia. The presiding judge interrupted to instruct him to limit his remarks to the charges; he is due to continue his statement at the next hearing.
Charges and possible sentence
Abdulmohsen faces six counts of murder and 338 counts of attempted murder. If convicted, he could receive life imprisonment. The trial is expected to run at least until March and is being held in a large temporary hall to accommodate hundreds of victims, family members and witnesses.
Background and alleged motive
Born in Saudi Arabia, Abdulmohsen arrived in Germany in 2006 and was granted refugee status around 2016. He has been active in migrant‑rights campaigns but also maintained a prolific social media presence in which prosecutors say he posted rambling critiques of Islam and echoed far‑right conspiracy theories. Authorities told the court that he was motivated by anger over "supposed insults and frustration," and that a civil court ruling against him in a lawsuit brought by other refugee activists appears to have been an immediate trigger.
Security and political fallout
The attack — coming after a similar deadly vehicle attack at a Berlin Christmas market in 2016 — has reopened debate in Germany about the security of festive markets and the cost of anti‑terror measures. Magdeburg's mayor, Simone Borris, said state authorities have for now refused permission for the city's market to open due to security concerns. City officials have been told to install access controls and barriers capable of stopping vehicles weighing up to 7.5 tonnes.
Observers note the incident has fed into a wider political discussion on immigration ahead of regional and national elections. The far‑right Alternative for Germany (AfD) finished second in the national election in February and is polling strongly in Saxony‑Anhalt, of which Magdeburg is the capital. As the trial opened, the defendant briefly held up a laptop screen displaying the words "Sept 2026," the date of the next national election.
Community reaction
Survivors, family members and local residents remain shaken. Magdeburg resident Birgit Lange, 57, told AFP the attack had made her "more alert" but said she still planned to visit the Christmas market because "if we all hid away it wouldn't help anyone." Potential security failings from last year’s market are expected to be examined during the trial.
Note: The court will consider witness testimony, forensic evidence and the defendant's continuing statements as proceedings continue. The trial is open to the public, with special arrangements to protect victims and witnesses.
