George Bunn
Guest Reporter
A man has been charged with five murders and 205 counts of attempted murder after a man drove a car into a German Christmas market.
Officials report that the attack in the city of Magdeburg has left five people dead, with over 200 people injured and 41 "severely injured."
Chancellor Olaf Scholz will attend a vigil this evening at Johanniskirche (St John’s Church), with tributes already being laid at the scene.
The police have announced that security measures for the Christmas market were last updated in November, and security has been increased.
A police spokesman told a press conference: "Police should look into this, I will not speculate on this...Please remember, safety will always be our focus."
The prime suspect has been named as Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, a 50-year-old psychiatrist living in Bernburg, around 40km south of Magdeburg. While the motive behind the attack is yet to be confirmed, authorities believe he acted alone.
City official Ronni Krug said that they had been "deeply shaken" by the attack, adding that no one in the city’s administration "slept well" last night. Krug said a nine-year-old girl and four adults were killed in the Magdeburg Christmas market attack.
The director of the Magdeburg police department says the suspect is thought to have reached the market square via the escape and rescue entrance, adding: "there were no barricades... simply for ambulances and rescue vehicles to access this area."
The city’s mayor Simone Borris has said all municipal cultural institutions in Magdeburg, including theatres and museums, will remain closed for the next few days as a sign of mourning.
LATEST FROM MAGDEBURG
Meanwhile, one of the UK’s biggest Christmas markets said it has reviewed its security processes in the wake of the attack on a German Christmas market which left five people dead and more than 200 injured.
Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market’s security processes were reviewed and discussed with a police security adviser after last night's tragedy. It said no changes are required and all staff remain vigilant.
A joint statement from Frankfurt Christmas Market Ltd and Kurt Stroscher, Frankfurt City Council, said: “Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market has a robust security concept that is the result of multi-agency planning that includes police security and counter-terrorism specialists.
“In light of last night’s tragic events in Germany the processes were reviewed and discussed with the police security adviser. No changes are required and all staff remain vigilant."
A Saudi doctor, identified by German media as Taleb A, is believed to have intentionally driven a BMW into the crowded market in Germany.
He describes himself as a former Muslim and has accused German authorities of failing to do enough to address what he called the “Islamism of Europe”.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz said nearly 40 of those hurt were "so seriously injured that we must be very worried about them." Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was "horrified" by the "atrocious attack."
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Officials report that the attack in the city of Magdeburg has left five people dead, with over 200 people injured and 41 "severely injured."
Chancellor Olaf Scholz will attend a vigil this evening at Johanniskirche (St John’s Church), with tributes already being laid at the scene.
The police have announced that security measures for the Christmas market were last updated in November, and security has been increased.
A police spokesman told a press conference: "Police should look into this, I will not speculate on this...Please remember, safety will always be our focus."
The prime suspect has been named as Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, a 50-year-old psychiatrist living in Bernburg, around 40km south of Magdeburg. While the motive behind the attack is yet to be confirmed, authorities believe he acted alone.
City official Ronni Krug said that they had been "deeply shaken" by the attack, adding that no one in the city’s administration "slept well" last night. Krug said a nine-year-old girl and four adults were killed in the Magdeburg Christmas market attack.
The director of the Magdeburg police department says the suspect is thought to have reached the market square via the escape and rescue entrance, adding: "there were no barricades... simply for ambulances and rescue vehicles to access this area."
The city’s mayor Simone Borris has said all municipal cultural institutions in Magdeburg, including theatres and museums, will remain closed for the next few days as a sign of mourning.
LATEST FROM MAGDEBURG
- 'Armed police don’t align with British values!' Journalist hits out at Christmas market measure
- WATCH: The moment a suspect is arrested in Magdeburg after car ploughs through Christmas market crowd
- Saudi doctor who 'expressed anti-Islam' views online arrested after German Christmas market attack
Meanwhile, one of the UK’s biggest Christmas markets said it has reviewed its security processes in the wake of the attack on a German Christmas market which left five people dead and more than 200 injured.
Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market’s security processes were reviewed and discussed with a police security adviser after last night's tragedy. It said no changes are required and all staff remain vigilant.
A joint statement from Frankfurt Christmas Market Ltd and Kurt Stroscher, Frankfurt City Council, said: “Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market has a robust security concept that is the result of multi-agency planning that includes police security and counter-terrorism specialists.
“In light of last night’s tragic events in Germany the processes were reviewed and discussed with the police security adviser. No changes are required and all staff remain vigilant."
A Saudi doctor, identified by German media as Taleb A, is believed to have intentionally driven a BMW into the crowded market in Germany.
He describes himself as a former Muslim and has accused German authorities of failing to do enough to address what he called the “Islamism of Europe”.
Chancellor Olaf Scholz said nearly 40 of those hurt were "so seriously injured that we must be very worried about them." Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he was "horrified" by the "atrocious attack."
Find Out More...