Taleb A.*, the 51-year-old Saudi-born doctor accused of driving a car into crowds at a Magdeburg Christmas market on December 20, 2024, has said he wishes to testify “for hours, perhaps days” as his trial continues. The announcement came as proceedings resumed at the regional court in Magdeburg on Tuesday.
Taleb A. has already admitted to being the driver of the vehicle that struck pedestrians at a crossing and ploughed into marketgoers, an attack that killed six people and injured more than 300. He is charged with six counts of murder and 338 counts of attempted murder.
The defendant said he intends to answer questions from the court as part of his testimony. He has been appearing at the hearings from within a protective glass enclosure in the courtroom.
The trial is one of the largest in postwar Germany and is expected to run about 50 days, with sessions scheduled to continue until at least March 12, 2026. So far, Magdeburg’s Christmas market has not been granted permission to open amid criticism of its security plan; city officials hope enhanced measures will allow the market to go ahead from November 20.
DW does not publish full names of suspects in line with German privacy laws.
