Germany grapples with mental health inquiry after market tragedy
The German Interior Minister, Nancy Faeser, stated that the perpetrator of the attack in Magdeburg shows "striking signs of a pathological psyche". The assailant does not fit known terrorist patterns, she emphasised.
Faeser participated in a special meeting of the parliamentary committee on internal affairs, where she promised further clarification of the matter. "All circumstances must be thoroughly and precisely investigated," she announced. She added that "the task is to piece together all findings and paint a picture of this perpetrator, who does not fit any existing mould".
The minister noted that the investigation is ongoing and it is still too early to draw conclusions. Currently, thousands of the perpetrator's online statements are being examined. It is important to draw the correct conclusions regarding "how such information should be assessed and summarised (...) to be able to intervene at the right time," Faeser emphasised.
Tragic toll of victims
On the evening of 20 December, 50-year-old Taleb Abdul Jawad from Saudi Arabia drove a car into a crowd at the Christmas market in Magdeburg. As a result of the attack, five people were killed, including a 9-year-old boy and four women aged 45 to 75, and over 200 were injured. Jawad has lived in Germany since 2006 and worked as a specialist in psychiatry and psychotherapy.
According to German media, Jawad was known for his criticism of Islam and sympathies towards the right-wing populist party Alternative for Germany (AfD). After the attack, he was arrested. He had been living in the Federal Republic of Germany since 2006 and obtained asylum. He worked at a clinic in Bernburg near Magdeburg.
