How could Magdeburg happen?

The German public is asking hard questions about the failure of German security forces to prevent or minimize the harm of a ramming attack which took place last Friday night at a Magdeburg Christmas market, according to DW.

A major problem involves the conflicting needs of a security plan that both protects crowds in public places and ensures safe exits in case of danger, lest people be trampled to death in an attempt to escape. The attacker in this case exploited routes for emergency vehicles to enter the Magdeburg Christmas market and commit his act of terror.

Another problem involves the red flags that often arise regarding almost any attacker including the Magdeburg Rammer. Security forces said that they did receive some warnings from Saudi Arabia and local authorities but it was unclear whether they were serious enough to act upon.

Perhaps the most worrying aspect about the attack was the killer's very eclectic ideology which did not fit the beliefs of known extremist movements - anti-Jihad, anti-Saudi Arabia, anti-Islamic migration. Since the pandemic, more and more extremists have formed their own approach which is hard to easily determine as dangerous.