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Attack at the Magdeburg: the profile of Taleb al-Abdulmohsen

A Saudi doctor responsible for five dead and 200 injured: his story and motives

Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, a 50-year-old Saudi Arabian doctor, hurled his car into the crowd at the Christmas market in Magdeburg, killing five people and injuring two hundred. The man was immediately charged with five counts of murder, attempted murder and aggravated injury. His action, which shocked Germany, appears to be the result of deep personal and political malaise.

The indictment and the first consequences

The German authorities announced the indictment of al-Abdulmohsen, who appeared before a judge last night. Among the victims of his attack was a nine-year-old boy. Investigators believe that the man, an active critic of the German government and close to the extreme right, acted alone. Despite his background as a doctor, his recent years have been marked by increasing isolation and extremist views.

The path of al-Abdulmohsen: from exile to radicalisation

Taleb al-Abdulmohsen was born in Saudi Arabia, in a Shia community, and abjured Islam before fleeing the Gulf monarchy. A refugee in Germany since 2006, he has become known not only for his work as a psychiatrist, but also for his political activism. Al-Abdulmohsen embraced the positions of the Afd, the German far-right party, and gradually adopted a critical view of Islam.

A career as a psychiatrist and activism in Germany

In Germany, al-Abdulmohsen worked as a psychiatrist at the Salus Clinic in Bernburg, while maintaining a strong commitment to the defence of human rights. He became known for his tough opposition to Islam and support for Saudi dissidents. In 2016, he was granted refugee status after reporting death threats for abandoning his religion.

Helping opponents and young Saudi women

In addition to his medical work, al-Abdulmohsen devoted much of his time to helping Saudi dissidents, especially women, obtain political asylum in Europe. His commitment made him a point of reference for those fleeing religious repression in the Middle East, but his personal struggle against Islam and his growing closeness to the German extreme right brought him to a tragic end.

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