The President of the Council of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), Bishop Kirsten Fehrs, and the President of the German Bishops' Convention, Bishop Georg Bätzing, expressed their shock on the “inhumane assault” on the Christmas market in Magdeburg. In a joint press launch, they mentioned: “Many individuals in Germany and all over the world are feeling horror, unhappiness and compassion right now.”
No less than 5 individuals, together with a nine-year-old youngster, have been killed in a tragic assault within the jap German metropolis of Magdeburg.
Church officers mentioned their ideas and prayers are with Magdeburg at the moment, in line with a report by German evangelical journal Professional. The church buildings mourn with the kin of the victims of this horrible assault and pray for the injured and deceased, in addition to for his or her kin who are actually anxious about their family members: “So many harmless individuals have turn into victims of this mindless violence simply earlier than Christmas.” Each theologians thanked the devoted rescue providers, who care for the injured and make clear what occurred, in addition to the emergency chaplains who stand by the individuals and accompany traumatized.
Evangelical journal Concept quoted the regional bishop of the Evangelical Church in Central Germany (EKM) Friedrich Kramer (Magdeburg): “We’re appalled by the horrible occasions on the Christmas market in Magdeburg. Our prayers and ideas are with the victims and their households.” Magdeburg Cathedral shall be open each day after the assault from 9am to 6pm for a silent and candlelight vigil of solace and condolences.
An attacker initially from Saudi Arabia, referred to as a critic of Islam
A 50-year-old Saudi resident in Germany drove an SUV via a busy Christmas market and used emergency exits, officers mentioned Saturday. The assault, which passed off on Friday night and left 5 useless and greater than 200 injured, with 41 significantly injured, has left the nation scrambling for solutions.
The attacker was named as Taleb al-Abdulmohsen throughout a press convention at Magdeburg Metropolis Corridor on Saturday. Officers are nonetheless investigating the reason for his actions.
Al-Abdulmohsen, a psychiatrist primarily based in Bernburg, a city roughly 25 miles south of Magdeburg, was taken into custody shortly after the assault. Initially from Saudi Arabia, he arrived in Germany in 2006 and was granted refugee standing ten years later.
Whereas the motive stays unclear, investigators imagine al-Abdulmohsen acted alone. Inside Secretary Nancy Faeser mentioned it was “clear to see” that the suspect held “Islamophobic” views. The suspect's social media posts point out his criticism of Islam and promotion of conspiracy theories about alleged efforts to Islamize Europe.
German media outlet Der Spiegel reported {that a} criticism was filed towards him a yr in the past for statements that officers mentioned didn’t represent a direct risk.
Ronni Krug, a member of the Magdeburg metropolis council, defended the market's safety measures, noting that the emergency routes utilized by the attacker have been important for ambulance entry and have been guarded by police. German authorities confirmed that the assault was deliberate and careworn that the suspect had lived within the nation for many years on a everlasting residence visa.
In response to Magdeburg police chief Tom-Oliver Langhans, the attacker entered the market by way of one emergency exit, drove via crowded lanes lined with festive stalls and exited by way of one other emergency exit. He was arrested shortly after the incident.
The suspect's social media exercise revealed posts criticizing Germany for tolerating radical Islam, supporting the anti-immigrant Various for Germany celebration and warning towards Islamic legislation in Europe.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and his ministers visited the location on Saturday to put flowers at a memorial close to the market. Scholz's go to comes as Germany commemorates the 2016 assault on a Christmas market in Berlin, the place an Islamic extremist used a truck to kill 12 individuals. Because the tragedy, Germany has beefed up safety at vacation markets with concrete limitations, an elevated police presence and a ban on knives.
Additional safety measures have been put in place throughout the nation this yr after a gunman killed three individuals at a summer season competition in August. In Magdeburg, giant painted concrete blocks have been positioned across the market sq., on which there have been festive stalls promoting mulled wine, sausages and items. Nonetheless, Andreas Rosskopf, head of the federal police union, famous: “It isn’t attainable to guard such occasions 100%.”
Cities throughout Germany deployed additional patrols at Christmas markets on Saturday in response to the assault. Markets in Cologne banned giant luggage, whereas Leipzig raised limitations on the entrances.
Magdeburg, a metropolis of 240,000 and the capital of Saxony-Anhalt, was as soon as a part of communist East Germany. Its annual Christmas market, positioned outdoors the city corridor, turned a spot of communal mourning on Saturday as residents laid flowers at a memorial close to St. Jana.
Floral tributes continued to develop all through the day, with visibly shaken people stopping to pay their respects and mourn the victims of this devastating assault.
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