A German security official familiar with the investigation told the Journal that the suspect had arrived in Germany as an asylum seeker who said he had fled Saudi Arabia due to strict Islamic laws.

He was granted refugee status before obtaining permanent residence in the country.

According to the report, the suspect had posted on social media in recent days accusing the German government of,
1. allowing the proliferation of Islamization in the country
2. and of persecuting female Saudi asylum seekers

Police said the vehicle drove “at least 400 meters across the Christmas market” leaving a trail of bloodied casualties, debris and broken glass at the city’s central town hall square.

The local Volksstimme newspaper said reports from the scene indicated the attacker clearly tried “to hit as many people as possible.”