The Prime Minister of Saxony-Anhalt state, Reiner Haseloff, says the suspect is a 50-year-old doctor from Saudi Arabia who works in the state and has lived in Germany since 2006.
He’s yet to be formally identified, but German media have named him as Taleb A, withholding his full name in line with privacy laws.
He has been arrested and is thought to have acted alone. The suspect lives in Bernburg, about 25 miles south of Magdeburg.
He reportedly worked to help Saudis, particularly women, flee his home country.
In a now deleted X feed apparently belonging to the suspect, he made anti-Islam posts, expressed sympathy for the far-right AfD party and even accused Germany of promoting the Islamization of the country.
German authorities are yet to ascribe any motive to the suspect.
