Saudi doctor jailed for life for ramming car into German Christmas market killing 6

A German court has sentenced a Saudi psychiatrist to life in prison for driving a car into a crowded Christmas market in Magdeburg, Germany, killing six people, including a nine-year-old boy, and injuring hundreds in one of the country’s deadliest attacks in recent years.The attack took place on December 20, 2024, when the man, identified as Taleb A., drove a rented BMW through the festive market. Prosecutors said the assault lasted just over a minute but left widespread devastation, Sky News reported.Those killed included five women aged between 45 and 75, along with nine-year-old Andre Gleissner. Hundreds of others were injured during the incident.Taleb A., a Saudi-born psychiatrist who had been living in Germany since 2006, was found guilty of six counts of murder and the attempted murder of hundreds of people.The defendant openly voiced anti-Islam views, supported far-right ideology and frequently posted online about what he described as the “Islamisation of Europe”.The trial was held in a specially built courtroom, where Taleb A. appeared inside a bulletproof glass enclosure for security reasons. While he apologised to the family of the nine-year-old victim during the proceedings, he also made repeated political statements about migration and other issues.Among those who testified was survivor Phillip Peplau, a trainee paramedic who was injured in the attack. Speaking to Sky News, he said the festive atmosphere turned into chaos within seconds. “It was four days before Christmas. There were so many children and families. Then, in one second, there was blood, pain, screaming and crying,” he said.Peplau told the court he helped treat several victims at the scene, including attempting to resuscitate a woman who later died.