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The Guardian
30-07-2025
- The Guardian
Victims of German Christmas market attack ‘retraumatised' after receiving letters from suspect
The suspect in a deadly car ramming at a packed German Christmas market has written to victims of the rampage in letters sent to their homes with agitated appeals for 'forgiveness', triggering outrage from recipients. A spokesperson for the prosecutor's office in the state of Saxony-Anhalt confirmed that at least five people injured in the December attack in Magdeburg that killed six people, including a six-year-old child, had received correspondence this month from the Saudi doctor Taleb al-Abdulmohsen, who is in pretrial detention in Berlin. The Magdeburger Volksstimme newspaper first reported on the handwritten letters, including their chilling signoff with the formal 'Mit freundlichen Grüßen' (with friendly greetings). 'At first we couldn't believe it,' the newspaper quoted one of the recipients as saying, adding that the letter had triggered horrible memories of the night of the attack. 'We were shocked when we returned from holiday and found the letter in our box,' another addressee told the regional broadcaster MDR. 'How can a murderer get the addresses of the survivors?' A counsellor treating the victims told MDR: 'None of those affected with whom I'm in contact is interested in an apology.' According to local media reports, Abdulmohsen, 50, asked the recipients for 'forgiveness' and wished for their recovery, but also included 'confused' rants about fellow Saudi asylum seekers similar to complaints he had posted on social media before the car rampage. He requested visits or responses by letter from the victims or their representatives, adding that they should include in any mail to him a self-addressed stamped envelope. More than 300 people were hurt, some of them severely, in the car ramming at the festive market on a central square on 20 December. Abdulmohsen was arrested at the scene of the attack, in which a rented SUV ploughed at high speed through the crowd. Abdulmohsen, a consultant psychiatrist, is being held on suspicion of murder, attempted murder and grievous bodily harm. It was not immediately clear how he acquired the names and addresses of the victims. Media reports speculated that they may have been included in prosecution files from the investigation made available to defence lawyers. 'We need to check whether the letters could have been held back,' said the regional MP Kerstin Godenrath, who is leading the state parliamentary inquiry into the attack, arguing that the correspondence amounted to a 'retraumatising' of the victims. The national victims' assistance organisation Weißer Ring criticised the authorities' approach, with its managing director, Bianca Biwer, telling the news outlet Der Spiegel that it showed 'no sympathy for the victims'. Biwer described the letters as a violation by arriving at their homes. 'It puts the victims at the mercy of the perpetrator,' she said, noting that many criminal suspects hoped through such contact to reduce their sentences by demonstrating regret. Spiegel said the prosecutor's office had been monitoring Abdulmohsen's mail but that it had wanted the addressees to be able to decide for themselves whether to read the letters, which it said were enclosed in a separate sealed envelope with an advisory about its content. However a prosecutor's office spokesperson said it had since changed its policy and that if Abdulmohsen intended to send further correspondence 'we will hold back these letters and inform victims (by telephone) that he has written'. If the addressees did not want to receive the letters, their wishes would be respected. The German government's ombudsman for victims' rights, Roland Weber, said the law should be changed to restrict the sharing of such contact information, telling the news agency DPA that the current policy 'completely disregards protection of victims'. Abdulmohsen had in repeated online posts before the attack voiced strongly anti-Islam views, anger at German authorities and support for far-right conspiracy theory narratives on the 'Islamisation' of Europe. The attack two months before Germany's general election fuelled an already bitter debate on immigration and security with the far-right AfD party gaining in support.
North Wales Chronicle
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- North Wales Chronicle
Caernarfon Food Festival postponed until 2027
Gŵyl Fwyd Caernarfon will not be held in 2026, despite last month's event being the "most successful festival to date". The decision was made at a meeting of the organising committee yesterday (June 9), and the break will allow the organisers to: The break will allow the committee to "secure the future of the festival". A spokesperson for Gŵyl Fwyd Caernarfon said: "A month after the most successful festival to date – the biggest yet, with all costs met – the Gŵyl Fwyd Caernarfon committee has made the difficult but unavoidable decision to take a year's break in 2026. "Since our first festival, Gŵyl Fwyd Caernarfon has grown beyond all expectations in terms of size and popularity. The addition of the family area at Coed Helen Park last year was an important step, and while the growth is a source of pride and a huge boost for the town, it has also brought significantly higher responsibilities and pressure on our team of dedicated volunteers. "It is difficult to convey the human cost of organizing a festival on this scale. We as volunteers have given endless hours of our time, energy, and passion to make each festival a success. However, some key volunteers need to step aside in the year ahead, and we recognise that the current model imposes an unsustainable burden on those who remain. "After careful consideration, at a meeting on 9 June, the committee voted to take a break in 2026, and designate the said year as a 'year to develop'. "We want to reassure the people of the town that Gŵyl Fwyd Caernarfon is not coming to an end. During our year off, we will continue to organise our popular fundraising events such as our curry competition, and commit to supporting events such as the annual Fireworks display (organised by the Town Council) and the Christmas market (co-organised with Galeri Caernarfon). "The committee will meet regularly throughout 2026 to continue these arrangements and to develop our new vision, provide training opportunities, and develop relevant skills for members. We will also, of course, start planning for the 2027 festival. We are also calling on interested individuals to join us afresh to plan for 2027. We appreciate any contribution. "We see next year as an opportunity to work more closely with businesses and the local community to ensure our community can maximise the economic benefits of the festival in 2027 and beyond. "We would like to express our sincere thanks to everyone who has supported Gŵyl Fwyd Caernarfon - our volunteers, sponsors, local businesses, performers, stallholders, visitors, and most importantly, the people of Caernarfon who have made our festival such a success. "We look forward to returning in 2027 with renewed energy, ensuring that Gŵyl Fwyd Caernarfon continues to celebrate our community's vibrant food culture for years to come."
Wales Online
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Caernarfon's food festival won't take place next year despite huge success
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A hugely popular food festival won't take place next year. Gŵyl Fwyd Caernarfon was first held in 2016 and has grown in popularity each year since then. This summer was the most successful festival to date with thousands coming to the expanded event. But the organisers have taken the decision to not stage the festival next year. The Gŵyl Fwyd Caernarfon Committee said it was "unavoidable" and added that this was not the end for the festival. The group released a statement to explain the decision. They said: "A month after the most successful festival to date – the biggest yet, with all costs met – the Gŵyl Fwyd Caernarfon committee has made the difficult but unavoidable decision to take a year's break in 2026. "Since our first festival, Gŵyl Fwyd Caernarfon has grown beyond all expectations in terms of size and popularity. The addition of the family area at Coed Helen Park last year was an important step, and while the growth is a source of pride and a huge boost for the town, it has also brought significantly higher responsibilities and pressure on our team of dedicated volunteers. "It is difficult to convey the human cost of organizing a festival on this scale. We as volunteers have given endless hours of our time, energy, and passion to make each festival a success. However, some key volunteers need to step aside in the year ahead, and we recognise that the current model imposes an unsustainable burden on those who remain. "After careful consideration, at a meeting on 9 June, the committee voted to take a break in 2026, and designate the said year as a 'year to develop'." They said the break will allow them to adapt the organisational structure to make it more sustainable, develop new ideas and methods of festival management, build stronger partnerships with local businesses and stakeholders and create a more balanced workload distribution amongst volunteers. The statement added: "We want to reassure the people of the town that Gŵyl Fwyd Caernarfon is not coming to an end. During our year off, we will continue to organise our popular fundraising events such as our curry competition, and commit to supporting events such as the annual Fireworks display (organised by the Town Council) and the Christmas market (co-organised with Galeri Caernarfon). Join the North Wales Live WhatsApp community group where you can get the latest stories delivered straight to your phone "The committee will meet regularly throughout 2026 to continue these arrangements and to develop our new vision, provide training opportunities, and develop relevant skills for members. We will also, of course, start planning for the 2027 festival. We are also calling on interested individuals to join us afresh to plan for 2027. We appreciate any contribution. "We see next year as an opportunity to work more closely with businesses and the local community to ensure our community can maximise the economic benefits of the festival in 2027 and beyond. "We would like to express our sincere thanks to everyone who has supported Gŵyl Fwyd Caernarfon - our volunteers, sponsors, local businesses, performers, stallholders, visitors, and most importantly, the people of Caernarfon who have made our festival such a success. "We look forward to returning in 2027 with renewed energy, ensuring that Gŵyl Fwyd Caernarfon continues to celebrate our community's vibrant food culture for years to come. Thank you very much to everyone." Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox
