A Saudi psychiatrist has been sentenced to life in prison in Germany for killing six people and injuring hundreds when he drove a car into crowds at a Christmas market in Magdeburg in 2024. The court in Magdeburg ruled on Friday that the crime was of "particular severity," a designation that will make it difficult for the defendant, Taleb Jawad al-Abdulmohsen, to ever win release from prison.
Abdulmohsen, 51, who was originally from Saudi Arabia, was described by officials as having a history of anti-Islamic rhetoric and far-right sympathies. Prosecutors had charged him with murdering six people and the attempted murder of hundreds more in an attack they stated lasted one minute and four seconds and was planned over several weeks. The victims included five women between the ages of 45 and 75 and a nine-year-old boy.
During the trial, Abdulmohsen admitted to driving the rented vehicle through the market but denied deliberately running people over. Prosecutors presented evidence that Abdulmohsen's motive stemmed from dissatisfaction and frustration regarding the outcome of a civil law dispute and his lack of success in various criminal complaints. They believe he acted alone.
A psychiatric expert diagnosed the accused with narcissistic personality disorder but found him to be fully criminally responsible and dangerous. The trial necessitated the construction of a large temporary courtroom to accommodate the hundreds of victims, relatives, and legal representatives. More than 100 witnesses and around 40 lawyers representing 200 civil parties appeared during the proceedings.
According to the indictment, Abdulmohsen drove a rented BMW X3 through the city's historic central market square on December 20, 2024, reaching a speed of approximately 48 kilometers per hour. He was arrested as he emerged from the damaged vehicle. The attack, which prosecutors described as defying human comprehension, intensified a charged debate over immigration in Germany months before a general election in February 2025.
While the use of a vehicle evoked memories of jihadist attacks, investigations into Abdulmohsen's background revealed an anti-Islam stance and sympathy for far-right politics. His testimony in court was reportedly at times incoherent and included conspiracy theories. He had arrived in Germany in 2006 and had previous run-ins with authorities, including a fine for making threats of criminal violence. Prosecutors argued that Abdulmohsen showed "no remorse, regret or introspection whatsoever" during the trial.