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What's New
Mourners on Monday left flowers at the scene of Friday's deadly Christmas market attack as investigators grappled with the suspect's motives.
Why It Matters
The Johanniskirche, a church located just a short distance from where the attack unfolded, has emerged as the focal point for mourners since Friday evening's tragedy, when a car plowed into the bustling Christmas market, claiming five lives. The sidewalk outside the church is now blanketed with a sea of flowers, a somber tribute to the victims.
What To Know
Prosecutors revealed that the number of injured in the Christmas market attack has climbed to as many as 235 as more victims continue to seek medical attention. However, they cautioned that some cases may have been inadvertently counted more than once.
The suspect has been identified as a 50-year-old Saudi Arabian psychiatrist who has lived in Germany for more than two decades. While police did not reveal his identity, German media are referring to him as Taleb A. or Taleb al-Abdulmohsen.
Officials noted that he deviates from the typical profile of those behind extremist attacks. On social media, the man described himself as an ex-Muslim and a vocal critic of Islam, frequently sharing posts supportive of far-right ideologies.
The motive for the attack, which left more than 200 people injured and killed four women and a 9-year-old child, is still unclear, according to police.
An investigation into the attack and the suspect's motive is ongoing. Prosecutor Horst Walter Nopens said on Saturday that investigators are considering that a potential motive for the attack "could have been disgruntlement with the way Saudi Arabian refugees are treated in Germany."
What People Are Saying
According to the Funke newspaper group, Justice Minister Volker Wissing said: "The Magdeburg perpetrator had repeatedly attracted attention by threatening crimes. There were also warnings about him but, according to what is known so far, his political statements were so confused that none of the security authorities' patterns fitted him."
He suggested that Germany might need to reevaluate its security framework in light of the attack, emphasizing that a meaningful debate on the issue will be necessary.
However, he cautioned that it remains "too early for that" as key facts and questions have yet to be resolved.
Germany's Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck expressed concerns that the attack could amplify online misinformation in the lead-up to the national election anticipated in late February.
He urged the public to "take time for the truth" and cautioned against succumbing to the spread of hatred, saying: "Don't let yourselves be infected by hatred."
"There is still a lot we don't know and a lot is unexplained, including the exact motive," Habeck said. "All the same, I fear that the distrust that was immediately propagated on the net against Muslims, foreigners and people with a history of immigration will entrench itself deeper in society."
What's Next
Police in Bremerhaven announced late Sunday that they had detained a man who allegedly posted a TikTok video threatening violence at a local Christmas market. According to the German news agency dpa, the man claimed he would target and stab individuals of Arabic appearance on Christmas Day.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
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