Criticism of the German authorities after the attack on the Christmas market

2024-12-22 15:58:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

German security authorities admitted they had received information last year about the suspected perpetrator of the deadly Christmas market attack, but said investigations had shown he posed no danger. But counter-terrorism experts say German authorities failed to investigate the case and should have taken more security measures near the Christmas market. Police in Magdeburg said on Sunday that four adults and a child died in the attack. Authorities said 200 people were injured, including 41 seriously.

German authorities said they had received information last year about the suspected perpetrator of the deadly attack on a Christmas market in the city of Magdeburg.

A Saudi doctor who arrived in Germany in 2006 and received permanent residency plowed his vehicle into a crowd of people at a Christmas market, killing five people and injuring 200 others.

The head of the Federal Criminal Police Office, Holger Münch, said in an interview with German television ZDF that "his office received a notification from Saudi Arabia in November 2023 and the authorities took appropriate investigative measures."

"He was known to the authorities, he had made insulting comments and occasional threats, but there was no information about acts of violence," said Mr. Munch about the suspect.

The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees in Germany also said on Saturday in a post on the social network "X" that it received information about the suspect at the end of summer last year.

"This information was taken seriously, like any other information that comes," announced this institution.

Saudi security sources said they had warned Germany about the suspected perpetrator and sought his extradition, but Berlin had not responded.

"It is very clear that there were some shortcomings among the security authorities in Germany and as a result this very terrible attack was not prevented. There was a warning from Saudi Arabia, there were warnings domestically, in Germany, from people who knew him. They had informed the police that the suspected perpetrator was becoming quite strange. And recently we had failures to provide security, to put barriers around the Christmas market", says Dr. Hans-Jakob Schindler, director of the Anti-Terrorism Project.

Authorities say the suspected perpetrator does not fit the usual profile of perpetrators of extremist attacks. He described himself as a former Muslim who was highly critical of Islam and in many social media posts expressed support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. He is being held in custody while authorities investigate.

Meanwhile, bouquets of flowers covered the square in front of Saint John's church in the city of Magdeburg, with people standing in silence to honor the victims of the attack.

"This is my second time coming here. I brought flowers and lit candles for the victims and the injured. I am completely shocked because I was at the Christmas market the day before the attack and there were many children there," says one resident.

"It's terrible. Just terrible. And based on what's been investigated so far, it's surprising that this person was here. It should serve as a lesson for the future: control who comes here. We never thought that there would be news like this in our city", says another resident.

Police in Magdeburg said on Sunday that four adults and a child died in the attack. Authorities said 200 people were injured, including 41 in serious condition./VOA