FREE TO KILL
Police were warned three times over Christmas market killer’s threats to slaughter innocent people
Threats included disturbing posts that 'something big will happen in Germany'
THE Christmas market killer threatened to slaughter innocent people months before the horror car attack which left five dead and 205 injured.
German authorities were warned three times by Saudi Arabia about doctor Taleb al-Abdulmohsen’s chilling plot to murder.
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They included disturbing posts that “something big will happen in Germany”.
Britain is on high alert for copycat attacks after Friday night’s mayhem in the city of Magdeburg, where a child of nine was among the dead.
Al-Abdulmohsen, 50, was arrested at the scene after his BMW ploughed into revellers at the crowded market.
Among the casualties were 41 people described as gravely ill and 86 being treated for serious injuries.
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Yesterday several UK police forces urged the public to be vigilant.
It has emerged that Saudi Arabia repeatedly alerted German police about their citizen al-Abdulmohsen, living in Germany since 2006.
Four months before the attack, he wrote online in Arabic: “I assure you: if Germany wants war, we will have it. If Germany wants to kill us, we will slaughter them, die.”
He wrote: “Is there a path to justice without slaughtering German citizens indiscriminately?” It was unclear if police acted upon the warnings.
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In 2023 al-Abdulmohsen asked 48,000 followers on X: “Would you blame me if I randomly killed 20 Germans because of what Germany is doing against the Saudi opposition?”
A woman reported the nowdeleted post but it was unclear if police took any action.
Moment ‘doctor in his 50s from Saudi Arabia’ is arrested after BMW ‘drives into crowd’ at German Christmas Market
Officials said it was not clear if Friday’s attack was terror-related and the motive may have been “a disgruntlement with the way Saudi refugees are treated”.
Prosecutors yesterday said murder and attempted murder charges were being prepared against the suspect.
He was hauled before a judge yesterday evening who ruled he would stay in custody.
PM Sir Keir Starmer said he was horrified by the “atrocious” attack.
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