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Magdeburg Christmas Market Attack Trial Opens in High‑Security Temporary Court

The court will spend months examining motive and responsibility, with hundreds of survivors participating as co‑plaintiffs.

Overview

  • Defendant Taleb al‑Abdulmohsen, 51, is charged with six murders, 338 attempted murders and more than 300 counts of dangerous bodily harm.
  • The hearing began in a purpose‑built 4,700‑square‑meter hall under strict security; the accused was flown in and sits behind bullet‑resistant glass.
  • About 170 to 180 survivors and relatives are registered as co‑plaintiffs, though many seats were empty at the opening session.
  • Roughly 46 to 50 court dates are slated through mid‑March 2026, starting with the indictment reading before witnesses and experts are called.
  • State authorities are prosecuting after the federal prosecutor rejected a terrorism linkage, while a Landtag inquiry continues into security gaps and possible prevention.