"Not on the note"

Perpetrator profile upsets terror researchers

"I really didn't have that on my mind," admits terror expert Peter Neumann.

(Bild: Associated Press)

Heartbreaking images are going around the world after the unbelievable act of terror in Magdeburg. Even hardened experts are shaking their heads at the question of why - because nobody would have expected such a background.

"After 25 years in this 'business', you think nothing could surprise you anymore. But a 50-year-old Saudi ex-Muslim who lives in East Germany, loves the AfD and wants to punish Germany for its tolerance towards Islamists - I really didn't have that on my mind," admits terror researcher Peter Neumann on X. The more he finds out about the perpetrator Taleb A., the less certain he is that this was an Islamist attack: his "Twitter profile suggests the opposite."

Saudi Arabia warned about the man
The perpetrator's home country, Saudi Arabia, is likely to have had the 50-year-old on its radar for some time. According to Saudi security circles, Riyadh had warned Germany about the attack. The kingdom had even requested his extradition, but Germany had not responded, it was said. The man comes from the city of Al-Hofuf in eastern Saudi Arabia. He was a Shiite.

Only around ten percent of the population in the predominantly Sunni country are Shiite. There are repeated reports of discrimination against Shiites in the country. According to the German Press Agency in Berlin, a kind of warning about the man was issued to the German authorities around a year ago. Deeply concerned, the kingdom turned to Germany. It "expresses its solidarity with the German people and the families of the victims", wrote the Saudi Foreign Ministry in a message on X.

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz traveled to the scene of the crime. He spoke of a "terrible, insane act".

(Bild: APA/AFP/Ronny HARTMANN)

International horror and sympathy
The attack has caused an enormous international response. French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his "deep shock" at the "horror that struck the Christmas market in Magdeburg this evening". France shares "the pain of the German people and expresses its full solidarity". Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez also expressed their horror in the online service.

The USA assured its solidarity and offered to provide support for one of its closest partners and strongest allies, as State Department spokesman Matthew Miller explained. Billionaire Elon Musk, an advisor to incoming US President Donald Trump, took a less diplomatic approach and attacked the German chancellor head-on. "Scholz should resign immediately," raged the head of car manufacturer Tesla on his Platform X in response to the attack in Magdeburg. Musk even went so far as to insult Scholz as an "incompetent fool" - which means "incompetent idiot".

Increased security measures for domestic Christmas markets
Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer (ÖVP) expressed his deep dismay. "The news from Magdeburg is shocking and leaves us stunned. Our thoughts are with the victims, their families and the rescue workers in these most difficult hours," he wrote on X. "We stand closely by the side of our German friends," assured Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg (ÖVP).

In view of this dramatic event, "an up-to-date assessment of the situation is of course also being carried out in Austria", revealed Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP). In addition, the security measures for Christmas markets had already been increased several weeks ago, and since then both special forces and civilian investigators had been deployed. The Office for the Protection of the Constitution is in close contact with numerous European security authorities in order to be able to constantly assess the situation.

Man came to Germany in 2006
The suspect comes from Saudi Arabia and came to Germany in 2006. In social media and interviews, he has recently made accusations against German authorities, some of which have been formulated in a confused manner. Among other things, he accused them of not doing enough to combat Islamism. After going public years ago with his support for Saudi women fleeing their home country, he later wrote on his website in English and Arabic: "My advice: don't ask for asylum in Germany!"

Opponents of the ruling house are well aware that they remain on the radar of their home country's authorities abroad - at least since the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. US intelligence agencies see Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as the mastermind behind the crime. The royal family rejects this.