Abdulmohsen, a Saudi-born psychiatrist, drove into a Christmas market in Magdeburg, killing and injuring many people. Saudi Arabia had warned Germany about him several times, but German authorities did not act.

German police had been repeatedly warned that a Saudi doctor who is suspected of ploughing a car into crowds at a Magdeburg Christmas market posed a terror threat.

The officials said Riyadh warned the German authorities the suspected attacker, Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, a Saudi dissident who described himself as an ex-Muslim, had boasted on social media that “something big will happen in Germany”. It was unclear if police ever acted upon the warnings.

A Saudi-born psychiatrist drove an SUV into a German Christmas market, killing five and injuring over 200. Saudi Arabia had warned Germany about the s

The ministry previously warned the German government about al-Abdulmohsen's extremist views. It sent four so-called "Notes Verbal", three of them to Germany's intelligence agencies and one to the foreign ministry in Berlin. There was, the Saudis say, no response.

Ahead of the attack at the German Christmas market on Friday, Saudi authorities had reportedly warned Germany about the suspected attacker

The German equivalent of the FBI admitted that last year they received tips about the Christmas market attacker long before the attack – however, authorities deemed the allegations not serious

The perpetrator of the attack at the Magdeburg market had previously attracted the attention of authorities multiple times over the years. He had threatened to commit crimes and was sentenced to 90 days in prison.