While the world revels in the joy of X'mas, Magdeburg silently bows in mourning

The violent incident has stunned Magdeburg, a city in central Germany located 130 km west of Berlin with about 240,000 people, where people come to pay their respects to the victims of the Christmas market attack that left over 200 people injured and at least five dead.

Authorities report that a doctor crashed into the crowded outdoor Christmas market on Dec 20, killing four people and a nine-year-old girl.

They added that 41 others suffered serious injuries, and the death toll may rise.

On Dec 21 at 7:04 pm (18:04 GMT), precisely the same time as the attack the night before, church bells sounded out around the city.

In addition to emergency personnel and invited guests, including German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the memorial service was held in the city's cathedral and was primarily for the victims' families.

Those unable to attend the service gathered outside to watch on a screen. Hundreds gathered in the central square, some laying flowers and lighting candles, while others displayed far-right banners.

In solidarity with Magdeburg, several German cities canceled their weekend Christmas markets. Berlin kept its markets open but heightened police presence for security.

Seven Indians were among those injured in the Christmas market attack in Magdeburg, Germany, according to sources.

Three of them have already been discharged from the hospital. The Indian Embassy has been in contact with all the injured individuals and their families.

In a statement, India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) condemned the "horrific and senseless attack" at the Christmas market, expressing solidarity with the victims and their loved ones.

"Several precious lives have been lost, and many have been injured. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims. Our mission is to contact Indians who are injured, as well as their families, and render all possible assistance," the MEA said.

Police haven’t publicly named the suspect, but several German news agencies have identified the accused as Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, a Saudi Arabian doctor in psychotherapy and psychiatry.

In 2006, he relocated to Germany and received refugee status in 2016.

According to the Interior Minister of Saxony-Anhalt Tamara Zieschang, Abdulmohsen later obtained a permanent residence permit.

Following the attack, Saxony-Anhalt’s governor, Reiner Haseloff confirmed that, as of now, he appears to be a lone perpetrator, and there is no immediate danger to the city.

"We have arrested the perpetrator, a man from Saudi Arabia, a doctor who has been in Germany since 2006. From what we currently know, he was a lone attacker, so we don't think there is any further danger," said Haseloff.

The suspect is a 50-year-old immigrant from Saudi Arabia who described himself as an Islam-critical activist and surrendered to police at the scene.

“The suspect is being investigated for five counts of suspected murder and 205 counts of suspected attempted murder,” prosecutor Horst Walter Nopens said.

“Investigators are looking into whether the attack could have been motivated by the doctor’s dissatisfaction with the way Germany treats Saudi refugees,” Nopens added.

A vocal critic of Islam, Abdulmohsen is a former Muslim who supports the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), a political party known for its anti-immigration beliefs.

A leading news agency reported that the suspect was enraged by Germany's immigration policies and held strong anti-Islamic sentiments.

He created the website "wearesaudi.net" after relocating to Germany with the intention of helping former Muslims who were escaping the Gulf region and offering information to others who might be in need of similar assistance.

According to reports, Saudi authorities are looking for Abdulmohsen on suspicion of terrorism and smuggling Middle Eastern girls into EU nations.

In spite of these accusations, Germany offered him shelter and declined to extradite him.

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry released a statement expressing solidarity with Germany, saying, "The Kingdom affirms its position in rejecting violence and expresses its sympathy and sincere condolences to the families of the victims and to the government and people of the Federal Republic of Germany, wishing the injured a speedy recovery."

President Steinmeier also expressed his grief, saying, "The anticipation of a peaceful Christmas was suddenly interrupted."

He added that the background to the terrible deed was not yet clarified.

A prosecutor said, "The background to the crime could have been disgruntlement with the way Saudi Arabian refugees are treated in Germany," while Interior Minister Nancy Fraser claimed that he had "Islamophobic" sentiments.

Abdulmohsen is "a psychologically disturbed person with an exaggerated sense of self-importance," according to Taha Al-Hajji of the Berlin-based European Saudi Organization for Human Rights.

"When will this madness stop?" tweeted Alice Weidel, the leader of the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), which has targeted jihadist assaults in its anti-immigrant campaign, on X.

"What happened today affects a lot of people. It affects us a lot. I think that since (the suspect) is a foreigner, the population will be unhappy, less welcoming," said Fael Kelion, a 27-year-old Cameroonian living in the city.

Days before Christmas, eight years after a terrorist drove a truck into a Berlin Christmas market, Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz denounced the "terrible, insane" act that horrified the country and killed five people.

The attack was captured on surveillance video, which showed a black BMW speeding through the throng and scattering bodies among the festive stalls offering mulled wine, food, and traditional handicrafts.

The festival has been canceled for the year. Now, stalls are empty surrounding a huge Christmas tree.

The suspected strike occurred eight years after an attack on a Christmas market in Berlin.

On Dec 19, 2016, an Islamic extremist drove a truck through a crowded Christmas market, killing 13 and injuring many. Later, the attacker was killed in an Italian shootout.