(MENAFN) A court in Magdeburg, eastern Germany, begins hearing the case against a man accused of attacking a Christmas market last December, an assault that left six dead and over 300 injured.

The defendant, a Saudi-born doctor identified as Taleb A. under German privacy regulations, is alleged to have driven a rented BMW at speeds of up to 48 km/h (29 mph) through the crowded market on 20 December 2024. Prosecutors say the incident occurred at 19:02 local time and lasted only one minute and four seconds.

Taleb A., 51, faces six counts of murder—including a nine-year-old boy and five women aged between 45 and 75—along with attempted murder charges relating to another 338 victims. He is also accused of causing grievous bodily harm to 309 people and endangering road traffic.

Authorities stated that Taleb A. “was not under the influence of alcohol or similar substances during the rampage and apparently acted out of dissatisfaction and frustration over the course and outcome of a civil dispute and the failure of various criminal complaints.” Prosecutors added that his objective appeared to be “to kill an indeterminate number of people” and that he meticulously planned the attack over several weeks without accomplices.

The defendant has remained in custody since the day of the attack. A conviction could result in a life sentence. A temporary courthouse has been established in Magdeburg to accommodate the large number of victims involved.

Germany has previously seen attacks on Christmas markets and festivals, mainly by extremist Islamist perpetrators. Authorities described Taleb A. at the time as an “untypical” attacker. The Saudi refugee had expressed criticism of Islam and on social media praised the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, hailing them for fighting what he called “the same enemy as him to protect Germany.”

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