Outside the cathedral in Magdeburg, Germans are grieving and paying
their respects.
The deadly attack on a Christmas market here on Friday
night has left many bereft, as it should have.
A few.
Well, I've seen a lot of misery, many people who
were searching, many tears, bewilderment and extreme states of shock.
Extreme shock.
This is the moment a speeding vehicle plowed into the
bustling crowd, killing at least five people, according to German
officials, and injuring more than 200.
Carnage, But from an unexpected threat?
Well, this is exactly the kind of attack on a
packed Christmas market that Germany has suffered in the past
and feared could happen again.
But what's so unexpected is the profile of the alleged
attacker.
Not an Islamist, but anti Islam.
Not a recent immigrant to Germany but settled here for
nearly 20 years.
Part of the community, a doctor in a nearby clinic.
Very few, if any, saw that coming.
Now dramatic video has emerged of the suspect's arrest at
the scene of the market attack.
AUS activist group has now identified him as Taleb Al
Abdul Mohsin, A50 year old originally from Saudi Arabia, who
once described himself as history's most aggressive critic of Islam,
particularly opposed to the Saudi regime.
On social media, Abdul Mohsin has repeatedly expressed support for
the German far right Afd party also claiming Germany wants
to Islamize Europe.
And now this horrific attack allegedly committed by a self
confessed Islamophobe, fuelling Germany's growing anti immigration mood.
Our politicians are responsible for this, one local Barbara told
me.
I think there should be a clean up of people
who do these things, she says.
Now it's time to close our borders, says this man
Tom.
Germany's pain and grief is already giving way to anger.
Well, Jessica, that anger was seen on the streets of
Magdeburg earlier this evening because hundreds of far right activists
taken to the streets calling for the deportation of migrants
in the country.
Shouting, shouting slogans, carrying banners, remigration, read the big banner
at at the front of them.
Immigration in Germany has been growing as one of the
major political issues in the country, and this attack, just
a few days before Christmas, of course, has really pulled
poured fuel on the flames, as it were.