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Terrorist attack in Germany.

(203 Posts)
Sago Fri 20-Dec-24 21:06:10

So sad reading of this evenings terror attack in Germany.
A simple pleasure walking around a Christmas market will probably become a thing of the past.

I have been to a Christmas market in Strasbourg, I was so nervous as the Police presence was high, they were searching bags, we were all being funnelled into the old town.

I knew if there was an incident it would be carnage.

I told my husband I was unhappy and had a sixth sense that something would happen.
We left the town centre and walked around the parks.
My husband was patient but thought I was being a drama queen!

The following day there was a terrorist attack.

In hindsight the powers that knew there was a high risk.

I pray that all those injured survive.

TerriBull Sat 21-Dec-24 14:11:27

There does seem to be an encroaching sensitivity or in stronger terms censorship surrounding certain subjects these days, in the way that threads are removed This is the main news story that only broke yesterday evening and of course it will inevitably be a subject for discussion because of its horrific nature. I haven't seen the thread on MN and can't therefore comment on the tone of it,or how the comments were couched, but deemed "to have run its course" how bizarre!

M0nica Sat 21-Dec-24 15:13:41

The latest news is that although the terrorist was a Saudi-Arabian doctor, his social media shows that he had published many anti Islamist tracts on it over the years.

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Sat 21-Dec-24 15:18:01

Heartbreaking to think he’s killed people in the very country who gave him refugee status in 2016.

FriedGreenTomatoes2 Sat 21-Dec-24 15:26:01

The suspected attacker appeared on an US podcast just eight days before his attack in which he made a series of claims that gave insights into his paranoid state of mind.

Speaking to an organisation called the Rair Foundation, Taleb al Abdulmohsen claimed that Germany was persecuting Saudi ex-Muslims and “actively trying to destroy their lives.”

He said this campaign of persecution was being conducted covertly by a “Gestapo-like police unit” and was taking place across the globe.

Germany is “committing serious crimes including sexual abuse, leading Saudi ex-Muslims to consume drugs, and lying in order to deport them to Saudi Arabia to be executed,” he claimed.

He also asserted that German authorities had made his private address public in an attempt to intimidate him or because “they might be planning to do something.”

“They might kill me,” he stated, asking “Why would they expose my address?”

He also said that he had tried to expose this plot to the German public but “most people avoid helping me because they are afraid.”

Franski Sat 21-Dec-24 18:50:48

Suggest Germany deports him back to Saudi Arabia. He can rant his anti-Islamic sentiments to them.

pascal30 Sat 21-Dec-24 18:59:11

He's apparently an islamophobic psychiatrist..

GrannyGravy13 Sat 21-Dec-24 19:04:50

This man appears on BBC interview in 2019 bragging about getting immigrants into Germany.

There are numerous clips of this on social media.

Whatever his motives, his actions fit the definition of terrorism.

Another one to be left to rot in his cell, or alternatively return him to Saudi Arabia as per its many requests.

Allira Sat 21-Dec-24 19:53:00

pascal30

He's apparently an islamophobic psychiatrist..

Yet, in a country which is predominantly Christian, he drives at speed into innocent people at a Christmas market.

pascal30 Sat 21-Dec-24 21:58:21

Allira

pascal30

He's apparently an islamophobic psychiatrist..

Yet, in a country which is predominantly Christian, he drives at speed into innocent people at a Christmas market.

I know, very strange.. I wonder if we'll find out why..

nanna8 Sat 21-Dec-24 22:23:12

Awful. I don’t know what to say, it just makes me feel sick.

petra Sun 22-Dec-24 07:36:38

Franski

Suggest Germany deports him back to Saudi Arabia. He can rant his anti-Islamic sentiments to them.

Saudi Arabia have made 3 requests for his extradition. All 3 refused.

Iam64 Sun 22-Dec-24 08:55:13

his doctorate is in psychiatry or psychiatry. Reports consistently refer to worrying posts on social media. He was anti Islam. Z

Freya5 Sun 22-Dec-24 09:02:06

Iam64

his doctorate is in psychiatry or psychiatry. Reports consistently refer to worrying posts on social media. He was anti Islam. Z

Anti Islam, uhm let's wait and see shall we. Possibly a ploy to put police of his trail. He did complain too much methinks.

GrannyGravy13 Sun 22-Dec-24 09:21:09

Iam64

his doctorate is in psychiatry or psychiatry. Reports consistently refer to worrying posts on social media. He was anti Islam. Z

He is definitely anti-Christian, his act of terrorism at the Christmas market is proof of that…

Iam64 Sun 22-Dec-24 09:40:36

I’m expecting to be criticised for this but I find it hard to believe there aren’t mental health or underlying personality problems here. In saying this, I’m in no way excusing his behaviour

Galaxy Sun 22-Dec-24 09:46:28

It is reported he was accused of rape in SA, often there is sexual violence in the background, I am sure there are underlying mental health problems but I dont see what difference it makes.

Witzend Sun 22-Dec-24 09:49:55

petra

Franski

Suggest Germany deports him back to Saudi Arabia. He can rant his anti-Islamic sentiments to them.

Saudi Arabia have made 3 requests for his extradition. All 3 refused.

Presumably because at those times, he hadn’t AFAIK - by German standards - done anything to warrant extradition. Saudi Arabia is not exactly renowned for its human rights, and certainly doesn’t take kindly to anyone critical of Islam or of Saudi rulers, laws or government.

Galaxy Sun 22-Dec-24 09:51:51

Yes it was a brilliant decision by the German authorities.

Wyllow3 Sun 22-Dec-24 10:22:31

He had gone utterly beyond paranoid when he attacked.

Completely lost touch with reality.

Just re- read FGT's report above about this paranoia and parts of this report under "who is the suspect"

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cy09y32rlnxo

He'd been investigated a year ago " the suspect "had various contacts with authorities, insulted them and even made threats, but he was not known for violent acts"."

In the end he believed everyone had turned against him and "they" -the German authorities - were trying to kill him. Something - we dont know what - then triggered the attack.

There's no logic to be found. It will never make sense.

MaizieD Sun 22-Dec-24 10:23:24

Galaxy

It is reported he was accused of rape in SA, often there is sexual violence in the background, I am sure there are underlying mental health problems but I dont see what difference it makes.

It makes him not a 'terrorist' as we commonly understand the word, i.e a member of a particular group working to destroy or take revenge on a particular regime, but a disturbed individual committing an unspeakable atrocity because they are disturbed.

It's not exactly a novel occurrence, is it? We have had it happen in the UK.. Remember the Dunblane shooting?

GrannyGravy13 Sun 22-Dec-24 10:43:41

This is how the Oxford dictionary defines terrorism

The calculated use of violence or threat of violence to inculcate fear. Terrorism is intended to coerce or intimidate governments or societies in the pursuit of goals that are generally political, religious or ideological

This man thought the government was against him…

Oreo Sun 22-Dec-24 10:54:18

It’s an unusual case, with the reasoning about the ‘why’ but sadly no lessons to be learned from this apart from completely surrounding the market with concrete bollards .

Mt61 Sun 22-Dec-24 11:00:27

I don’t care who he is, or who he supports or stands for- he’s used that car as a weapon. No doubt he will pull the MH card. Governments have a duty of care to their people to keep them safe, if they knew about him.

GrannyGravy13 Sun 22-Dec-24 11:06:14

Oreo

It’s an unusual case, with the reasoning about the ‘why’ but sadly no lessons to be learned from this apart from completely surrounding the market with concrete bollards .

lessons will be learned I am so fed up with this soundbite, it is completely and utterly pointless, just empty words.

Nano14 Sun 22-Dec-24 11:10:52

Iam64

I’m expecting to be criticised for this but I find it hard to believe there aren’t mental health or underlying personality problems here. In saying this, I’m in no way excusing his behaviour

I agree. After reading some of his contradictory posts, I think he maybe has serious mental health problems.