‘Suicidal empathy’: Musk slams German govt for not extraditing Christmas market attacker

US billionaire Elon Musk has blamed the alleged “suicidal empathy” of the German government for the car-ramming attack by a Saudi Arabia national at a Christmas market in Germany’s Magdeburg in which five people lost their lives and 200 were left injured.

Who is Taleb A?

The 50-year-old Saudi national, identified as Taleb A, has been accused of ploughing his BMW through a crowd of shoppers at the Christmas market in Magdeburg on Saturday (December 21).

Reports said Taleb was a medical doctor from Saudi Arabia who has been living in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt since 2006. Recognised as a refugee in 2016, he reportedly has been working as a consultant of psychiatry and psychotherapy services.

According to the Daily Mail, Taleb, a former follower of Islam was a harsh critic of the religion and backed the Alternative for Germany (AfD), a pro-far right organisation.

Also read: 7 Indians among around 200 injured in German Christmas market attack

Reports said that while Taleb is a wanted man in Saudi Arabia on charges related to terrorism and trafficking of women from the Middle East to EU countries, Germany has refused to extradite him to his home country and given him asylum despite requests made by the latter.

'Lunatic, shouldn't have been allowed into Germany'

Reacting to a comment on X in which a user slammed the German government for ignoring requests by Saudi Arabia to extradite Taleb, Musk said the act amounted to ‘suicidal empathy’.

“Yeah, he was obviously a lunatic who should never have been allowed to enter Germany and should have been extradited when Saudi Arabia made the request. Suicidal empathy by the German government,” he posted.

Musk who gave his comments on the issue in a series of posts, also shared a long thread by a Saudi political commentator about allegations of rape and other series crimes against Taleb and the German government’s refusal to extradite him.

The commentator claimed that Taleb after arriving in Germany strategically reinvented himself as an atheist and ex-Muslim to secure full asylum and protection in Germany.

Also read: Terror attack in Germany? 2 killed, 50 hurt after man crashes car into market

The user alleged that despite working in a government hospital in Germany, Taleb has been simultaneously involved in criminal activities like human trafficking, smuggling young girls and encouraging girls and minors from Saudi Arabia and Gulf countries to flee to Germany.

“Important thread to understand the magnitude of failure by the German government,” said Musk while sharing the post.