A Saudi man has been arrested following a car-ramming attack at a Christmas market in Magdeburg, eastern Germany, on Friday, the state premier confirmed.
Reiner Haseloff, the premier of Saxony-Anhalt, told reporters that the suspect is a 50-year-old doctor from Saudi Arabia who has lived in Germany since 2006.
Authorities are currently interrogating the man and gathering further information. “From what we currently know, he was a lone attacker, so we don’t think there is any further danger for the city,” Haseloff said.
Tamara Zieschang, Saxony-Anhalt’s interior minister, added that the suspect resided in Bernburg, about 40 kilometres (24 miles) south of Magdeburg, and held a permanent residence permit.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is expected to visit the site on Saturday to assess the situation and discuss the next steps with local officials.
Haseloff said the incident calls for a thorough review of security protocols as authorities continue to investigate the motives behind the attack which left up to 80 people injured.
