New Delhi: Seven Indians were injured in a deadly car-ramming incident at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, a city in eastern Germany, with the Indian embassy in Berlin offering full support to the victims, according to official sources on Saturday evening.
The attack occurred on Friday evening when a 50-year-old man drove his vehicle into a crowd at the market in Saxony-Anhalt’s Magdeburg, resulting in the deaths of at least five people, including a nine-year-old child and nearly 200 others being injured, as reported by German authorities. Of the seven injured Indians, three have already been discharged from the hospital, the sources said.
MEA condemns ‘horrific’ attack
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) strongly condemned the “horrific and senseless” act, confirming that the Indian mission in Germany is in contact with the injured individuals, although it did not disclose the exact number of Indian victims.
The Indian embassy in Berlin said that it is maintaining close communication with the injured citizens and is providing necessary assistance during this challenging time.
“We condemn the horrific and senseless attack at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. “Several precious lives have been lost and many have been injured. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims.” “Our Mission is in contact with Indians who are injured, as well as their families, and rendering all possible assistance,” the MEA said.
Suspect held anti-Islam views
The suspect, identified as Taleb al-Abdulmohsen from Saudi Arabia, held strong anti-Islam views and expressed anger over Germany’s migrant policies, AFP reported. A self-identified “Saudi atheist” and activist who had worked to help women escape Saudi Arabia, al-Abdulmohsen had criticised Islam and Germany’s approach to refugees, especially those from predominantly Muslim countries.
Minister calls suspect’s views as Islamophobic
German Interior Minister Nancy Fraser described his views as “Islamophobic,” while prosecutors suggested that his motivations could stem from frustration over the treatment of Saudi refugees in Germany. Taha Al-Hajji, a representative of the European Saudi Organisation for Human Rights in Berlin, told AFP that al-Abdulmohsen was “psychologically disturbed” and had an inflated sense of self-importance.
