A 50-year-old man accused of killing four women and a nine-year-old boy by driving a car into a crowded Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, has been remanded in custody.
The suspect appeared before a judge on Saturday evening, following the Friday incident where a black BMW plowed through the market, injuring over 200 people.
Magdeburg Police confirmed that investigations are ongoing and urged witnesses to provide photos or videos of the tragedy.
Local media identified the suspect as Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, a Saudi citizen who arrived in Germany in 2006 and had worked as a doctor.
On Sunday morning, Magdeburg police confirmed that four women, aged 45, 52, 67, and 75, were among those killed in the incident.
"The judge has ordered pre-trial detention on charges of five counts of murder, multiple attempted murders, and numerous counts of dangerous bodily harm," the police statement read.
City officials reported that approximately 100 police officers, medics, and firefighters, along with 50 rescue service personnel, responded to the scene shortly after 7:00 PM local time (6:00 PM GMT) on Friday.
Witnesses recounted the chaos as they scrambled to avoid the speeding car during the attack.
In an interview with the German newspaper Bild, a woman named Nadine shared her harrowing experience at the Christmas market with her boyfriend, Marco. "He was hit and pulled away from my side," the 32-year-old said. "It was terrible."
Lars Frohmüller, a reporter for German public broadcaster MDR, described the aftermath to BBC Radio 4's World Tonight programme. "I saw blood on the floor and many doctors trying to keep people warm and treat their injuries," he said.
A memorial service for the victims of the attack was held on Saturday evening at Magdeburg Cathedral.
Families of the victims, emergency workers, and federal government officials, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, attended the service.
During a visit to the market earlier on Saturday, Chancellor Olaf Scholz called the attack a "dreadful tragedy," emphasizing the brutality of the act in a place meant to bring joy, where so many people were injured and killed.
He expressed serious concerns for those critically injured and assured reporters that "all resources" would be dedicated to investigating the suspect behind the attack.
Reiner Haseloff, the premier of Saxony-Anhalt state, previously stated that a preliminary investigation indicated the alleged attacker acted alone.
Prosecutor Horst Walter Nopens said on Saturday that while the investigation was ongoing, one potential motive for the attack could have been dissatisfaction with the treatment of Saudi Arabian refugees in Germany.
Al-Abdulmohsen is believed to have driven into the market through an entry point designated for emergency vehicles, according to police.
A psychiatrist by profession, the suspect lived in Bernburg, about 40 km (25 miles) south of Magdeburg. Originally from Saudi Arabia, he arrived in Germany in 2006 and was granted refugee status in 2016.
He ran a website aimed at helping former Muslims escape persecution in their Gulf homelands.
The suspect has no known ties to Islamist extremism, and his social media posts suggest he had been critical of Islam.
A source close to the Saudi government informed the BBC that they had sent four official "Notes Verbal" to German authorities, warning them about Al-Abdulmohsen’s "very extreme views." The source, who wished to remain anonymous, claimed these warnings were ignored.
However, another experienced counter-terrorism expert suggested that the Saudi government might be conducting a disinformation campaign to discredit Al-Abdulmohsen, who had assisted young Saudi women seeking asylum in Germany.
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