A forensic assessment conducted by the University of Rostock on May 23, 2013, recommended the immediate psychiatric evaluation of the individual responsible for the December 20, 2024, attack on a Christmas market in Magdeburg, resulting in six fatalities and over 300 injuries. This information is contained within a document from the Rostock Criminal Police Inspection, as reported by Welt am Sonntag.
The Saudi Arabian national, a physician, resided in Stralsund from 2011 to 2016 and completed his specialist training as a psychiatrist in 2014. Prior to this, he was convicted by the Rostock District Court and fined 900 euros for disturbing public order and making threats.
The police document details that he threatened personnel at the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern State Medical Association with an act that would “receive international attention” during a dispute regarding his licensing. He specifically referenced the Boston Marathon bombing in April 2013, which resulted in three deaths.
A search of his apartment revealed anabolic steroids, cortisone and the strong opioid painkiller Tramadol. He also admitted to taking psychotropic drugs to an official at the State Examination Office for Healthcare Professions, who subsequently suspected him of exhibiting psychotic behavior. Previously, it was only publicly known that police had requested intervention from the Social Psychiatric Service of the Vorpommern-Rügen district.
Despite these warning signals, the individual was not taken into custody or further restricted. A spokesperson for the Rügen-Vorpommern district stated that information obtained during the work of the Social Psychiatric Service is subject to confidentiality regulations. This includes details regarding medication, psychiatric diagnosis and psychological assessments, citing personal and data protection concerns.
The Ministry of the Interior of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern indicated that due to the passage of time, relevant files no longer exist within the central police systems, making detailed information unavailable.
