Christmas markets in Europe on high alert after Magdeburg attacker was able to ‘dodge bollards’ in rampage that killed 5
BUSY Christmas markets across Europe are quickly bolstering their security following the horror Magdeburg attack.
A Saudi refugee doctor suspected of being behind the rampage that killed five is said to have found a way around bollards before speeding down the packed street.
Taleb A, 50, has been named by local media as the suspected driver with officials now speculating how he managed to get his large BMW onto the market roads.
A line of concrete blocks had been placed on the street where joyous revellers filled out as the Christmas celebrations spread across the city.
Security teams used the protective slabs to deter and prevent any vehicle from storming down the street.
The bollards were made mandatory following a similar horrifying attack in Berlin in 2016 that left 13 dead.
It comes as…
- Five confirmed dead, including one nine-year-old
- Over 205 injured with dozens in a critical condition
- Suspect named as Saudi doctor Taleb A
- Taleb was allegedly under the influence of drugs when arrested
- Police issue UK terror warning over fears of “copycat strike”
- Harry Kane leads tributes to victims
- German Chancellor Olaf Scholz speaks on tragedy
Despite the additions, the Magdeburg attacker appeared to have found a gap along a tramline big enough to force his car through, according to reports.
The road he used was a rescue route for emergency doctors and firefighters, officials confirmed during a press conference.
He then rammed into a crowd in the city leaving 205 people injured and five dead including a child aged 9.
The driver said to be Taleb, managed to reach speeds of up to 40mph and travelled for around 1,300ft, according to horrified witnesses.
Security expert Will Geddes told The Sun that it is “very sad and regrettable” for organisers that the bollards were not enough to stop the horror incident.
He said: “What is really quite surprising about this particular incident is that the last time a successful Christmas market attack took place was in 2016 – also in Germany.
“And ever since, that has brought attention to hazardous and hostile vehicle mitigation measures so you could prevent these kinds of situations from taking place.”
German police were quick to address any security concerns and rejected allegations that the market may not have been secured well enough.
Ronni Krug, a Magdeburg official, said: “I think our security concept is good because it was coordinated.
“The case we are talking about here now is a case that we could not have expected in its dimensions and that perhaps could not have been prevented.”
The attack has sent shockwaves across the rest of Germany and Europe with security being rapidly tightened up to prevent a similar disaster in the coming days.
Several German states and major cities with festivities taking place have vowed to protect their citizens.
Berlin is already taking “preliminary measures” by calling in extra cops and guards to patrol the events.
Leipzig has taken similar precautionary action as have the states of Hesse, Bremen, Lower Saxony, Rhineland-Palatinate and Schleswig-Holstein.
Thousands of extra officers, including plain-clothed cops, are being readied up, say the authorities.
Markus Lewe, President of the German Association of Cities, added that they are taking the raised terror warnings “very seriously and regularly adjusting measures”.
In the UK, the police have sent out urgent notices to take care when attending public events across the next week.
They told revellers heading to Christmas markets to be on their guard and immediately report anything suspicious.
Chief Superintendent Kris Wright from the Met Police, said: “At this time of year, we naturally see more people heading out and about to enjoy the festive period.
“We want people to enjoy themselves, but also to stay safe, so we are asking the public to report anything that doesn’t look or feel right to us.
“The power of public reporting should not be underestimated. It is never a waste of time to speak to us, or submit an online report.
“Sadly, the threat from terrorism is a real one, so it is vital that we have the support of the public, which helps our own operations and activity to keep everyone safe.”
It comes as Chris Phillips, the former head of the UK’s Counter Terrorism Security Office, told GB News he fears “copycat” attacks could now develop.
Vienna police have also announced plans to “intensify” their presence at Christmas markets in the Austrian capital as a result of the attack.
Christmas market horror
Five people including a nine-year-old child have died after a Saudi doctor deliberately drove into crowds at a German Christmas market.
At least 205 people were also injured in the attack in Magdeburg, with dozens being seriously hurt after the car ploughed into unsuspecting revellers.
Footage later captured the driver of a black BMW being arrested at the scene just after 7.04pm local time on Friday.
Armed cops caught the refugee and placed him in handcuffs next to the rented SUV believed to have been used in the chilling incident.
He was allegedly under the influence of drugs after an initial drug wipe test came back as positive, a police source told Bild.
The driver has been named locally as Taleb A.
Pictures show his home was quickly surrounded by cops after his identity was revealed as investigators raided the building at around 3:45am.
He is set to be hit with five murder charges following the rampage.
Who is Taleb A?
THE man suspected of killing five people after ramming them with his car at a German Christmas market is a 50-year-old Saudi doctor.
Ever since he was identified by local media a number of revelations about his past have emerged.
It has been reported that Taleb is an anti-Islam activist who arrived in Germany in 2006 as a refugee from Saudi Arabia, according to Bild.
German interior minister Nancy Faeser confirmed to reporters today that the suspect is Islamophobic.
The doctor is also said to have shared hundreds of strange posts on his social media in the days before the attack.
One allegedly claimed he felt that Germany wanted to “Islamicise” Europe, the newspaper reported.
He is reportedly also a vocal supporter of the hard-Right AfD party.
Taleb has lived in the nearby town of Bernburg – just over 30 minutes from Magdeburg – since fleeing the Middle East.
German media say he became a specialist in psychiatry and psychotherapy and works in the neighbouring town.
He has been officially recognised as a refugee since 2016, local media say.
German media also say they have spotted Taleb in a BBC documentary back in 2019.
Taleb A also stayed at the Maritim Hotel in Magdeburg numerous times in November and December.
He may have prepared the crime during these visits, according to Spiegel.
The man’s motive remains unclear.
Witnesses said the ground was covered in blood and tinsel as doctors scrambled to treat the injured.
The first two deaths were later confirmed by Mr Haseloff with city authorities confirming a total of at least 68 people were hurt.
The car went “through people” and sent others “going over it”, a man standing just feet away from the crash added.
Some of the injured are said to be in a critical condition with a huge number of emergency workers at the scene.
Tents were immediately set up to treat victims while all hospitals in the area said they were preparing for a “mass casualty event”.
Neighbouring cities, including Halle, around 50 miles from Magdeburg, also prepared their hospitals to take in victims.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz arrived in Magdeburg today and addressed a large crowd in the heartbroken city.
He described the events as “a terribly, tragic incident” as he confirmed five people have been confirmed as dead so far.
Scholz said: “What a terrible act it is to injure and kill so many people there with such brutality.
“Almost 40 are so seriously injured that we must be very worried about them.”
“It is important that nothing remains uninvestigated, that every stone is turned,” he added.