Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, the man who ploughed a car into a crowd of shoppers at a Christmas market in Germany, held “Islamaphobic” views and expressed sympathy for the far-right political party Alternative for Germany (AfD) in the past, it has been reported.
The incident in the Saxony-Anhalt city of Magdeburg resulted in the tragic deaths of five people, including a nine-year-old boy, and left more than 200 injured, with many in critical condition.
A judge has ordered the pre-trial detention of a 50-year-old man arrested on suspicion of carrying out the attack, who police believe acted alone.
Far-right figures such as Nigel Farage were quick to condemn the attack, suggesting it was orchestrated by a man who “hated” European values and Christian festivals such as Christmas.
But it has since been confirmed that his assumptions could be wide of the mark.
Germany’s Interior Minister Nancy Faeser told reporters that it was “clear to see” that the suspect holds “Islamophobic” views.
On social media, he is an outspoken critic of Islam, and has promoted conspiracy theories regarding an alleged plot by German authorities to Islamicise Europe.
He also expressed sympathy on social media for Germany’s far-right political party, Alternative for Germany (AfD), re-tweeting posts from the party’s leader and a far-right activist.
In the summer, Farage was criticised for being “irresponsible and dangerous” in the wake of the Southport attack for “amplifying false information” spread by influencers such as Andrew Tate.
The Reform UK leader accused the police of withholding the truth from the public and repeated misinformation which claimed the suspect was under surveillance by security services.