Possible attack plans 21-year-old arrested in Magdeburg
A man has been taken into custody in Magdeburg (Germany) - he is said to have expressed plans for an attack. The Ministry of the Interior in Saxony-Anhalt is planning to deport him.
15.12.2025, 22:09
15.12.2025, 22:10
dpa
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- A 21-year-old man has been taken into custody in Magdeburg for possible plans to carry out an attack.
- Details about the background and how specific the man's statements were were not initially available.
- The 21-year-old was taken into so-called preparatory custody in preparation for the deportation order, according to the Ministry of the Interior in Saxony-Anhalt.
- Just under a year ago, a 51-year-old man from Saudi Arabia drove a rental car through the crowd at the Christmas market. Six people died and over 300 were injured.
Last Friday, a 21-year-old in Magdeburg was taken into custody after making plans for an attack. The plans could have been motivated by Islamism, as a spokeswoman for the Ministry of the Interior in Saxony-Anhalt confirmed when asked. The detention was intended to prevent a possible attack on large crowds. The "Volksstimme" reported first.
Details on the background and how specific the man's statements were were not initially available. Nothing was initially known about the possible location of the attack either. According to the spokesperson, the 21-year-old is still in custody. According to dpa information, the young man, who was in training, is said to have expressed himself in a way that indicates an intention to commit an attack.
Ministry of the Interior prepares deportation
When asked, the Ministry of the Interior in Magdeburg stated that it was currently preparing a deportation on the basis of a "fact-based prognosis to avert a particular threat to the security of the Federal Republic of Germany or a terrorist threat". The 21-year-old is being taken into so-called preparatory detention in preparation for the deportation order.
The Ministry of the Interior went on to say that the Christmas market season is of particular importance to the authorities responsible for averting danger. This is particularly true in view of the current national and international security situation and against the backdrop of the rampage at the Magdeburg Christmas market on December 20, 2024.
"The police assessment of the security situation shows that Christmas markets are subject to a particular abstract threat due to the expected high volume of visitors, the mostly central location, the diverse access options and the Christian symbolism." The security authorities have also repeatedly pointed this out this year and are therefore highly aware of potential attacks or rampages.
Arrests due to suspected attack plans in Lower Bavaria
It was only on Friday that several men were arrested for suspected plans to attack a Christmas market in Lower Bavaria. This became known at the weekend. According to the current state of the investigation, there were no plans for an attack on a specific day or at a specific Christmas market, as Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann (CSU) said.
According to the Munich Public Prosecutor General's Office, investigators are assuming an Islamist motive. On Saturday, arrest warrants were issued for four of the men. One was taken into preventive custody.
Attack with six fatalities a year ago
The arrests were made almost a year after the attack on the Magdeburg Christmas market. A 51-year-old man from Saudi Arabia had driven a rental car through the crowd at the Christmas market. A 9-year-old boy and five women aged between 45 and 75 were killed.
More than 300 other people were injured. The man is currently on trial in Magdeburg. The doctor is accused of multiple murder and attempted murder. The public prosecutor's office is also accusing the man of causing grievous bodily harm.