As Germany mourns the loss of life of not less than 5 individuals after a vehicle intentionally plowed into a crowded Christmas market, authorities are working to know the suspect behind the assault.
The suspect – recognized by native media as 50-year-old Taleb A. – had been residing and dealing as a psychiatry and psychotherapy specialist in Germany for 20 years, authorities stated.
Initially from Saudi Arabia, Taleb arrived in Germany in 2006 and was acknowledged as a refugee in 2016, CBS Information associate BBC reported. He labored on the Salus-Fachklinikum Bernburg, a specialist clinic in Bernburg, about 25 miles south of Magdeburg.
In an Instagram post on Saturday, the clinic stated it was “shocked to be taught that the alleged perpetrator labored as a specialist physician in our enforcement in Bernburg.” It added that Taleb had labored on the firm since March 2020 however had not been on obligation since October 2024 because of sickness and vacation.
“Now we have been supporting the work of the investigative authorities in each doable method for the reason that late hours,” and they’re “shocked and shocked by the horrific assault.”
The top of the Federal Legal Police Workplace, Holger Münch, stated in an interview on the German broadcaster ZDF on Saturday that his workplace obtained a tipoff from Saudi Arabia in November 2023, which led authorities to launch “acceptable investigative measures.”
“The person additionally revealed an enormous variety of posts on the web. He additionally had contact with varied authorities, made insults and even threats. Nonetheless, he was not recognized to have dedicated acts of violence,” stated Münch, whose workplace is the German equal of the FBI.
He stated that the warnings, nevertheless, proved to be very unspecific.
The Federal Workplace for Migration and Refugees additionally stated Saturday on X that it obtained a tipoff concerning the suspect within the late summer season of final 12 months.
“This was taken severely, like each different of the quite a few suggestions,” the workplace stated. Nevertheless it additionally famous that it isn’t an investigative authority and that it referred the data to the accountable authorities. It gave no different particulars.
Taleb’s X account is stuffed with posts and re-shared posts specializing in anti-Islam themes and criticism of the faith whereas sharing congratulatory notes to Muslims who left the religion. He additionally described himself as a former Muslim.
He was vital of German authorities, saying that they had didn’t do sufficient to fight the “Islamism of Europe.”
He has additionally voiced help for the far-right and anti-immigrant Various for Germany (AfD) get together.
Michael Probst / AP
Germany’s FAZ newspaper stated it interviewed the suspect in 2019 and described him as an anti-Islam activist.
“Folks like me, who’ve an Islamic background however are not believers, are met with neither understanding nor tolerance by Muslims right here,” he was quoted as saying. “I’m historical past’s most aggressive critic of Islam. Should you do not imagine me, ask the Arabs.”
Distinguished German terrorism professional Peter Neumann posted on X that he had but to return throughout a suspect in an act of mass violence with that profile.
Neumann, the terrorism professional, wrote: “After 25 years on this ‘enterprise’ you suppose nothing may shock you anymore. However a 50-year-old Saudi ex-Muslim who lives in East Germany, loves the AfD and desires to punish Germany for its tolerance in direction of Islamists — that basically wasn’t on my radar.”
Some described Taleb as an activist who helped Saudi ladies flee their homeland. Lately, he appeared centered on his concept that German authorities have been focusing on Saudi asylum seekers.
Ebrahim Noorozi / AP
On Saturday, German Inside Minister Nancy Faeser advised reporters: “At this level, we are able to solely say for positive that the perpetrator was evidently Islamophobic – we are able to affirm that. All the things else is a matter for additional investigation and we now have to attend.”
A German-based group referred to as Atheist Refugee Reduction stated the alleged attacker was not part of the group and claimed that he made “quite a few accusations and claims” in opposition to it and former board members, which it stated had been false.
“We distance ourselves from him within the strongest phrases,” the group stated in an announcement on its web site, including that members of Atheist Refugee Reduction filed a legal grievance in opposition to him in 2019 following “probably the most foul slander and verbal assaults.”
Taleb was arrested on web site after plowing a black BMW right into a Christmas market crowded with vacation consumers Friday night in Magdeburg, killing not less than 5 individuals and wounding about 200 others.
