The suspect in a car-ramming assault on a German Christmas market is charged with homicide

BERLIN (AP) — The suspect in a lethal car-ramming assault on a Christmas market within the German metropolis of Magdeburg has been charged with homicide, tried homicide and bodily hurt, prosecutors stated Tuesday, claiming he was making an attempt to kill as many individuals as doable.

5 girls and a boy died, and lots of extra individuals have been wounded, within the Dec. 20 assault that lasted simply over a minute.

Authorities have recognized the suspect as a 50-year-old Saudi physician who arrived in Germany in 2006 and had acquired everlasting residency. They have not formally launched his title, consistent with German privateness guidelines.

In an indictment filed to the state courtroom in Magdeburg, prosecutors say he’s charged with six counts of homicide, 338 counts of tried homicide and 309 counts of bodily hurt. He’s additionally accused of harmful interference with highway visitors.

Homicide fees carry a most sentence of life in jail. The Magdeburg courtroom will determine whether or not to ship the case to trial.

Prosecutors stated the person wasn’t inebriated and apparently carried out the assault “out of dissatisfaction and frustration with the course and consequence of a civil legislation dispute and the failure of assorted prison complaints.”

They stated he aimed to kill as many individuals as doable and had spent a number of weeks planning the assault, with out accomplices or anybody else understanding about his plans. The assault was carried out with a rented BMW X3, which reached speeds of as much as 48 kph (30 mph) through the rampage.

Officers have stated the suspect doesn’t match the standard profile of perpetrators of extremist assaults. The person described himself as an ex-Muslim who was extremely vital of Islam and on social media expressed help for the far-right.

The suspect had beforehand come to authorities’ consideration for threatening conduct however wasn’t identified to have dedicated any violence.