German court gives Saudi life for Magdeburg market attack

A German court sentenced a Saudi national to life in prison on Friday, June 26, 2026, for a deadly car-ramming attack on a Christmas market in the eastern city of Magdeburg in 2024. Taleb Jawad al-Abdulmohsen, a 51-year-old psychiatrist, was convicted of six counts of murder and 338 counts of attempted murder for driving a rented SUV through the crowded market on December 20, 2024, killing six people and injuring more than 300.

The state court in Magdeburg ruled that his guilt was of "particular severity," a designation that makes him ineligible for release after the standard 15-year review period for life sentences in Germany. The victims included five women, aged between 45 and 75, and a nine-year-old boy. Prosecutors said the rented BMW X3 reached speeds of up to 48 kilometers per hour during the rampage, which lasted just over a minute.

During his trial, which began in November 2025 and involved testimony from about 100 witnesses, Abdulmohsen admitted to driving the vehicle but denied deliberately targeting anyone. Prosecutors dismissed that claim as preposterous. They argued his motive stemmed from a grievance against German authorities and a refugee organization in...