Magdeburg market tragedy: Assailant’s troubled past revealed
The perpetrator of the attack at the Magdeburg market had previously attracted the attention of the authorities on multiple occasions. He threatened to commit crimes and was sentenced to 90 days in prison. New details about the attacker are emerging.
- The suspect, Taleb Abdul Jawad, originally from Saudi Arabia, lived in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, a federal state in eastern Germany, from 2011 to 2016. In 2013, he was sentenced by the court in Rostock to 90 days’ imprisonment for disturbing the public peace with threats of committing crimes, stated Christian Pegel, the Interior Minister of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, at a press conference in Schwerin. The weekly "Spiegel" reported on this previously.
According to the minister, the attacker completed part of his specialised medical training in Stralsund.
In a dispute regarding the recognition of his exam results, he threatened medical association representatives with crimes that would attract international attention. He then referred to the attack on the Boston Marathon, reported the DPA agency.
During a search of his house, no evidence of actual preparations for an attack or any Islamist connections was found. - On the contrary, he seemed to distance himself from Islam and advocate something opposite - indicated Pegel.
Past and motives
In 2014, Jawad was suspected of extortion. He threatened to commit suicide at a government office if he did not receive assistance with living expenses.
After the 2013 verdict, he accused judges of racism and threatened revenge. "He was also claimed to have stated that the German Basic Law is inherently xenophobic," wrote the DPA agency.
The Interior Minister of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern also informed that the man was not classified as a threat.
Tragic attack
On Friday evening, a car driven by Jawad ploughed into the crowd at the Magdeburg market, killing five people and injuring around 90.
According to Magdeburg's chief prosecutor, Horst Walter Nopen, on Saturday, the attacker's motive could have been dissatisfaction with the treatment of Saudi Arabian refugees in Germany.
Reactions and consequences
The attack case may be addressed in the Bundestag later this year. Special sessions of the committees responsible for intelligence services and internal affairs are planned for 30th December. The event has shocked public opinion and sparked a debate on safety at Christmas markets in Germany.
