Magdeburg [Germany], December 26: As investigations into the attack on the Magdeburg Christmas market progress, there is also a probe into potential errors in police operations, the local authorities told DPA upon request.
The probe includes a police vehicle that was not at its designated location, the Saxony-Anhalt Ministry of the Interior in Magdeburg confirmed to DPA.
"At the time of the attack, police vehicles were stationed at the four designated locations around the Magdeburg Christmas market," the ministry said.
"According to the current state of the review, a police vehicle was in the taxi parking bay on Ernst-Reuter-Allee and thus not at the location specified in the police deployment concept. "Why this was the case is subject to further investigation." Questions regarding the security plan provided by the organizer of the Christmas market are also being investigated. It concerns what had been planned for the protection of the market and thus also for the technical security of escape and rescue routes.
"It will be examined whether these measures were implemented by the organizer and, if not, why not," the regional ministry said.
Additionally, the ministry reported that a criminal complaint has been filed with the public prosecutor's office against the city of Magdeburg and the Magdeburg police headquarters. During the attack on Friday evening, a 50-year-old drove a car through the Christmas market.
Source: Qatar Tribune