Magdeburg attack, Riyadh had requested extradition of attacker

Saudi Arabia had previously requested the extradition of the Saudi citizen suspected in Germany of having carried out the deadly attack on the Magdeburg Christmas market. A source close to the government told AFP today.

“There was an extradition request,” the source said, without specifying the reason for the request, adding that Riyadh had warned that the man could “be dangerous”. Five people died and 200 others were injured in last Friday’s attack. Saudi Arabia had warned Germany “many times” about Taleb Jawad al-Abdulmohsen, the source said, without explaining how he was considered potentially dangerous.

The 50-year-old psychiatrist, who had circulated death threats online, helped Saudi women flee their country. On social media, Abdulmohsen described himself as a victim of persecution who had renounced Islam and denounced what he saw as the Islamization of Germany, which he said was underway. He arrived in Germany in 2006 and was granted refugee status 10 years later, according to German media and a Saudi activist.