Germany Christmas market attack suspect charged with murder and 338 counts of attempted murder

A man suspected of ramming a car into a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg has been charged with murder.

Five women and a boy died in the attack on 20 December, and many more people were wounded.

Prosecutors have also charged the suspect, a 50-year-old Saudi doctor, with 338 counts of attempted murder, 309 counts of bodily harm, along with a motoring offence.

The man, whose name has not officially been released in keeping with Germany’s privacy rules, but who has previously been referred to as Taleb A, arrived in Germany in 2006 and had received permanent residency.

Prosecutors claim he aimed to kill as many people as possible and had spent several weeks planning the attack, which was carried out with a rented BMW, which reached speeds of up to 30mph (48kph).

Officials state he was not under the influence of alcohol and allege the attack was motivated “out of dissatisfaction and frustration with the course and outcome of a civil law dispute and the failure of various criminal complaints.”

The youngest victim was nine-year-old Andre Gleissner, while the five women who died were aged between 45 and 75.

Officials have said the suspect does not fit the usual profile of an extremist, but previously said he was flagged as a potential threat, including by Saudi authorities.

He described himself as an ex-Muslim who was highly critical of Islam and on social media expressed support for the far-right.

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Prosecutors allege that he was acting alone and kept plans about his attack secret.

The court in Magdeburg will decide whether to send the case to trial. Murder charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.