In a strongly worded statement, Konstantin Kuhle, the vice-chair of the Free Democratic Party’s parliamentary faction, accused the German federal government of withholding information in connection with the Magdeburg Christmas market attack. Kuhle expressed his discontent in an interview with the Funke-Mediengruppe, stating, “That the federal government first delays its response twice and then fails to answer, does not bode well.” He emphasized the importance of the government taking the Bundestag’s information interest in the Magdeburg case seriously and not blocking the clarification process, as this would make further investigation impossible.
Kuhle had submitted a written question to the Federal Ministry of the Interior, inquiring about the number of extradition requests from Saudi Arabia in the past few years, with the aim of extraditing suspected criminals or perpetrators. The ministry responded by citing the confidentiality of international legal assistance and the risks to the prosecution, refusing to provide a clear answer. Kuhle criticized the government’s decision, saying, “Unfortunately, the federal government is denying the parliament an answer at this crucial point.”
Multiple state institutions in Saudi Arabia allegedly warned German authorities of the later attacker, Taleb A., before the attack. It is reported that an extradition request from the country was pending. At the same time, the human rights situation in the Arab country is considered particularly precarious. For Germany, the decision to extradite asylum seekers like Taleb A. is not an easy one.
Kuhle highlighted the need for a thorough investigation, saying, “It must now be worked out whether the security authorities could have reacted differently to an extradition request from Saudi Arabia, rather than simply rejecting it due to the refugee status of the perpetrator.” The main concern is how hints and extradition requests from abroad could lead to a stronger review of persons in Germany, about whom German authorities already had gathered their own knowledge.
The Interior Committee of the Bundestag will convene on Thursday to re-examine the Magdeburg attack and the possible bureaucratic errors that preceded it. The Federal Ministry of the Interior is set to present the parliament with a “chronology” of the events, detailing the point in time when the authorities in Germany were dealing with a matter related to Taleb A.