The suspect's apparent beliefs have muddied attempts to use his alleged killing of five people and injuring 200 others as an anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim cautionary tale.

Summary

A Saudi national, Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, drove into a German Christmas market, killing five and injuring 200, sparking far-right narratives about Islamist terrorism and immigration.

However, al-Abdulmohsen was Islamophobic and aligned with Germany’s far-right AfD party. His past posts criticized both Islam and immigration.

While officials have not confirmed a motive, far-right figures initially framed the attack as Islamist terrorism, then pivoted to anti-immigration rhetoric when his beliefs surfaced.

Critics accuse the AfD and others of exploiting the tragedy, while concerns grow over social media’s role in amplifying extremist ideologies.