ALBAWABA - German officials have arrested Talib al-Abdulmohsen, the suspect in the Magdeburg Christmas market truck assault that killed five and injured over 200.
The Magdeburg District Court charged al-Abdulmohsen with five murder, attempted murder, and aggravated assault offenses. The Magdeburg Police Department said the arrest followed a thorough investigation of the December 20 incident.
Magdeburg Police Director Tom-Oliver Langhans said during a news event that Saudi Arabian refugees in Germany were mistreated. Langhans said "While this appears to be a key factor, deeper motives remain under investigation." Authorities are still investigating al-Abdulmohsen's acts and influence.
More about al-Abdulmohsen's past has emerged. He allegedly threatened a Mecklenburg-Vorpommern medical group over his medical degree equivalence in 2013. He threatened to garner public notice by referencing the Boston Marathon bombing, Spiegel magazine said.
After these threats, authorities investigated his home and computer devices but uncovered no attack plot. The Rostock District Court fined him €900 for public disorder. He reportedly threatened judges again throughout the hearings.
The Federal Parliament's Interior Committee will hold an extraordinary session on December 30 to address the assault. The incident and al-Abdulmohsen's background will be thoroughly investigated by authorities.
The incident has raised public safety worries in Germany, especially around the holidays. The incident at the renowned Christmas market, which killed a 9-year-old, shocked the country. After the tragedy, calls for tighter public event security have increased.
Law enforcement and political authorities in Germany are working to improve security and provide justice for the victims of this tragic crime.
