German Christmas market attack latest: Tributes to boy, 9, amid concerns over security and intelligence lapse

Mourners have laid flowers near the scene of the deadly Christmas market attack in Madgeburg as investigators puzzled over the motive of the suspect and fears swirled that the rampage could deepen divisions in German society.

The Johanniskirche, a church a short walk from the scene of the attack, has become a central place of mourning since the suspect drove a car into the busy market on Friday evening, killing five people and injuring 200 others. A carpet of flowers now covers the broad pavement in front of the church.

Authorities have identified the suspect as a Saudi doctor who arrived in Germany in 2006 and had received permanent residency status. They say he does not fit the usual profile of perpetrators of extremist attacks.

The man described himself as an ex-Muslim who was highly critical of Islam and in many posts on social media expressed support for the far-right

One of the UK’s biggest Christmas markets said it has reviewed its security processes in the wake of the attack on a German Christmas market which left five people dead and more than 200 injured.

Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market’s security processes were reviewed and discussed with a police security adviser after a BMW ploughed into customers at the busy festive market in Magdeburg on Friday evening.

It said no changes are required and all staff remain vigilant.

The PA news agency understands there is no specific intelligence indicating a threat to Christmas markets in the UK.

The threat level for the whole of the UK remains at substantial, meaning an attack is likely.

A joint statement from Frankfurt Christmas Market Ltd and Kurt Stroscher, Frankfurt City Council, said: “Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market has a robust security concept that is the result of multi-agency planning that includes police security and counter-terrorism specialists.

“In light of last night’s tragic events in Germany the processes were reviewed and discussed with the police security adviser. No changes are required and all staff remain vigilant.

“Incidents such as those now occurring in Magdeburg reaffirm the efforts of all those responsible for the Christmas market in Birmingham to constantly rethink and optimise the security concept and demonstrate the need to continue this with the aim of achieving the greatest possible safety for visitors.”

Friday’s deadly car-ramming attack at a Christmas market in the German city of Magdeburg has prompted renewed scrutiny in a number of European countries of security arrangements for the seasonal markets, which draw large crowds.

But the French interior ministry’s broad use of powers introduced under a 2017 anti-terror law to strictly limit the movements of individuals deemed a serious security threat was already drawing criticism from some lawyers and human rights activists before the attack.

At least 547 people were placed under an “individual measure of administrative control and surveillance” for the Paris Olympics, according to a parliamentary report published on Dec. 11, even though some, like Khaled, had never faced criminal charges.

Now, some lawyers and activists are concerned that the wider use of these measures, known by the French acronym MICAS, could become the norm for other major public events.

The interior ministry, which is in charge of police, and the local authority for the Bas-Rhin region, which includes Strasbourg, did not answer questions about those targeted because of the Christmas market.

One of the UK’s biggest Christmas markets said it has reviewed its security processes in the wake of the attack on a German Christmas market which left five people dead and more than 200 injured.

Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market’s security processes were reviewed and discussed with a police security adviser after a BMW ploughed into customers at the busy festive market in Magdeburg on Friday evening.

It said no changes are required and all staff remain vigilant.

Police have arrested a 50-year-old man after a car ploughed into a busy outdoor Christmas market in Magdeburg on Friday evening, killing at least five people and injuring 200 others.

At least five people - including a nine-year-old boy and four women - were killed in the attack as the suspect is remanded in custody.

Footage showed the vehicle breaking through barriers before speeding 400 metres through the crammed “fairytale-like” Magdeburg market.

More here.

As criticism continues to mount of Germany’s security failure to stop the attacker, the interior minister Nancy Faesar has said the heads of the country’s intelligence services would be questioned by two parliamentary committees.

She promised Bild newspaper that “no stone will be left unturned”, adding that authorities would “clarify all this background. They will also examine in detail what information was available in the past, and how it was followed up.”

Faeser said that the current task was to understand the suspect “who does not fit any existing mould”.

An extensive police operation is underway following the attack at the market in the German city of Magdeburg that happened at around 7pm local time on Friday.

Athena Stavrou has this rundown of what we know so far:

Germany’s vice-chancellor Robert Habeck has issued a warning against disinformation in the wake of the attack in Magdeburg.

The Green Party’s candidate for chancellor said in a video published on social media: “Don't believe what propagandists on the internet want you to believe. Lies are faster than the truth. Take time for the truth. Take time for scepticism, for doubt, for asking questions. Don't let hatred infect you.”