Nine-year-old child among five killed and 200 injured in German Christmas market attack; minister says suspect Islamophobic

Biden sends condolences to Germany after 'despicable and dark event'

US President Joe Biden has sent condolences to Germany after yesterday's attack in Magdeburg, describing it as a "despicable and dark event".

"The United States extends our deepest condolences to the people of Germany grieving the terrible attack at a Christmas market yesterday in Magdeburg, Germany," the US president said in a statement.

"No community - and no family - should have to endure such a despicable and dark event, especially just days before a holiday of joy and peace.

"While this situation remains under investigation, make no mistake:  the United States will always stand with our allies against violent terror.  

"In the coming days, we will keep all those injured or killed—and their beloved families—close in our hearts."

President Biden says his team is in "close touch" with German officials and "stands ready" to offer all available resources and assistance if needed. 

A winter wonderland is now a place of nightmares

There is a deep sense of shock in Magdeburg.

The streets around what should be a bustling Christmas market are quiet.

The wooden huts boarded up.

A place designed to be a winter wonderland is now a place of nightmares.

Police tape flutters in the wind in front of children's rides.

Blue medical gloves and foil blankets line the street between the stalls - debris of the disaster which unfolded on Friday night when a man drove his car into the crowd. 

It took just three minutes for police to catch the suspect after they received the first call.

But those three minutes changed hundreds of lives.

The city has never experienced an attack on this scale.

Today people laid flowers, keeping their loved ones close as they tried to make sense of the senseless.

As Magdeburg mourns, they try to find a reason for the carnage.

But what good reason could there be for cold-blooded killing at Christmas?

Suspect named in German media

The suspect in the Magdeburg Christmas market attack has been named in German media as Taleb A.

Surnames are withheld by German media outlets in line with domestic privacy laws.

Officials have said the suspect is a 50-year-old Saudi doctor who was living in Germany.

'We don't know yet whether this was a terror attack'

German officials say it is not clear yet whether yesterday's Christmas market attack was a terror attack. 

They earlier said the motive for the attack remains unclear, but the suspect's dissatisfaction with Germany's treatment of Saudi refugees may have played a role. 

Earlier today, Germany's interior minister Nancy Faeser told reporters the suspect was "Islamophobic".

Magdeburg attack lasted roughly three minutes, officials say

German officials say emergency services received their first call about the attack at 7.02pm local time (6.02pm UK time).

They say the situation was brought under control by 7.05pm. 

The suspect was then arrested.

Treatment of Saudi refugees may have been a potential motive, officials say

The motive in yesterday's Christmas market attack remains unclear at this stage, German officials say. 

However, the suspect's dissatisfaction at the treatment of Saudi refugees in Germany may have been a factor, they say.

The suspect is a 50-year-old Saudi doctor who was living in Germany.

Germany's interior minister Nancy Faeser told reporters earlier the suspect was "Islamophobic".

"This was clear to see," she said. 

She declined to elaborate on the man's political affiliations. 

Murder and attempted murder charges being prepared against suspect

Charges of murder, attempted murder and bodily harm are being prepared against the suspect in yesterday's attack in Magdeburg, German officials say. 

One person is currently being interviewed by police. 

They have repeated that they believe he was acting alone.

Nine-year-old child among five dead in Magdeburg attack

German officials have confirmed a nine-year-old child was among the five people killed in yesterday's attack in Magdeburg.

They say 200 people were injured, 41 of them seriously or very seriously. 

Officials are currently giving a press conference on the latest information known about the attack. 

They say they are "deeply shocked and devastated". 

Minute's silence to be held at German football matches

A minute's silence will be held ahead of all first division and second division football matches in Germany this weekend. 

The DFL, which runs Germany's professional football league, the Bundesliga, has also recommended that players wear a black armband to pay tribute to the victims of yesterday's attack. 

"In these difficult hours, our thoughts are with the victims, their families and friends," the DFL said in a statement. 

"We wish the injured a quick recovery."

German chancellor speaks at scene of attack

Earlier today, Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke at the site of the Christmas market attack.

"There is no more peaceful and cheerful place than a Christmas market... What a terrible act it is to injure and kill so many people there with such brutality," he said.

Sea of flowers laid for victims

Flowers continue to be laid on the steps of St John's Church near the Christmas market.

A memorial service is expected to be held tonight at 6pm UK time.

Fears far-right will descend on Magdeburg to exploit attack

A professor of sociology at a university in Magdeburg has warned the far-right will likely use this attack for their own ends.

"There are fears about the political exploitation of this attack," said Dr Matthias Quent, of Magdeburg-Stendal University.

"There are strong far-right mobilisations from all over Germany to come to Magdeburg and to use this case for their political aims."

This is despite the suspect being identified by authorities as an Islamophobe himself, Quent said.

Suspect has 'very weird' ideology, says counter-terror expert

The attack had several "unusual elements", a senior director at the Counter Terrorism Project tells Sky News.

Firstly, the suspect is unusually old, said Hans Jakob Schindler.

Then there's his ideology: Anti-Islam, anti-Saudi Arabia and holding a belief Germany wants to "Islamise" Europe.

"A very weird ideological narrative here, close to what you would call a conspiracy theory but a very personalised one, because he wasn't talking about a world conspiracy."

It is also unusual that a car could get into Christmas market in 2024 despite physical barriers, said Schindler.

"We did see an uptick of conspiratorial narratives online since the corona crisis.

"We do have very irresponsible social media companies who do not stop hateful fantasies of violence on their platforms.

"They have never been really good at this and they actually seem to be getting worse, in particular X."

Suspect is Islamophobic, says interior minister

The suspect arrested in connection with the Christmas market attack was Islamophobic, interior minister Nancy Faeser told reporters.

"This was clear to see," Faeser said. 

The minister declined to elaborate on the man's political affiliations. 

What happened at Magdeburg Christmas market?

If you're just checking in, at least five have been killed and more than 200 injured after a car drove into a crowd at a Christmas market in Germany.

Europe correspondent Siobhan Robbins explains what happened last night and in the immediate aftermath...

'Christmas in Magdeburg is over'

The Magdeburg Christmas market will not reopen, German public broadcaster MDR reports.

City councillor for public order Ronni Krug said: "Christmas in Magdeburg is over."

Flags would be lowered to half-mast in Saxony-Anhalt, where Magdeburg is based, and the federal government planned to do the same, said Saxony-Anhalt state premier Dr Reiner Haseloff.

German chancellor 'very worried' about condition of 40 injured people

Chancellor Olaf Scholz is making a statement at the Magdeburg Christmas market.

He speaks of the "brutality" of killing and injuring so many people in a place where families come together to celebrate.

Nearly 40 people "are so seriously injured we must be very worried about them", he says.

More than 200 were injured in total. Five people were killed.

"It is a terribly, tragic incident."

He commends the professionalism of the emergency services and those who cared for the injured.

"It is important that nothing remains uninvestigated, that every stone is turned."

The chancellor calls on the nation to stand together against hate. 

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Number killed rises to five

Saxony Anhalt state premier Reiner Haseloff says the number of people killed in the Magdeburg Christmas market attack has risen to 5.

He confirms earlier reports that at least 200 people were injured.

Speaking to reporters at the scene of the attack, he said today will be one of "grieving and mourning".

Memorial service to be held tonight, announces mayor

Magdeburg city mayor Simone Borris has announced a memorial service will be held at 7pm (6pm UK time).

"I am shocked, deeply affected and my heart goes out to the victims and their families," she said.

She thanked the emergency services and everyone who offered help after "the terrible attack".

"I could never have imagined that Magdeburg would be affected by such an act."

Tributes paid at church next to market

What started as a bunch of flowers and four candles has become rows of numerous bouquets laid on the steps of St John's Church near the Christmas market.

Among them were angel statues and a stuffed animal, a lamb, after four people were confirmed dead including a young child.

Authorities have warned more people may die after more than 200 were left injured by the car-ramming attack.

Number killed rises as total injured surpasses 200

The number of people killed in the Magdeburg Christmas market attack has risen from two to four, according to German media.

The number of people injured has risen from 68 to more than 200.

Of those, 41 have been seriously injured - an increase of 26 on last night's figures.

-SKY NEWS