Saudi Arabia and the public warned the police about Santa Claus – nothing was done

Published December 28, 2024 at 09.44

Foreign. Both Saudi Arabia and members of the public warned German authorities about Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, who drove into a Christmas market in Magdeburg during the Christmas holidays, killing five and injuring over 200 people. But despite the man being known to the police in Berlin, nothing was done to keep an eye on him.

Share the article

TwittraShare

At the time of the attack, al-Abdulmohsen had already caught the attention of the legal system in Berlin.

On Saturday, Berlin's prosecutor's office confirmed that the man was supposed to appear at the Tiergarten district court the day before the attack, but he failed to appear.

His appeal regarding a false alarm charge, for which he was previously convicted, was rejected in his absence.

According to German media, Saudi Arabia had previously warned Germany about Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, a Saudi citizen who was granted asylum in the country in 2016.

He is described as an Islamophobic activist and former Muslim. The motive behind the attack is believed to be linked to his dissatisfaction with the treatment of Saudi refugees in Germany.

Before the attack, Taleb al-Abdulmohsen had published threatening messages on social media in which he accused German authorities of not doing enough to combat Islamism.

Several police reports had been filed regarding his statements, but the authorities did not consider him to be an extremist or a threat.

At a press conference in Magdeburg on Saturday, police chief Tom-Oliver Langhans explained that a previous police report had been filed against Taleb al-Abdulmohsen but that the police never questioned him.

Saudi Arabia had reportedly requested his extradition a year ago for crimes in that country, but Germany did not act.

Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser emphasized that the investigation was still ongoing and declined to comment on warnings from Saudi authorities.

The attack now raises questions about Germany's handling of security warnings and potential threats.