The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, today condemned the Christmas market attack perpetrated in Germany by an outspoken atheist from Saudi Arabia who had reportedly spent years attacking Islam, embracing far-right views, praising Israel, and criticizing the German government for supposedly failing to protect other atheists who fled Saudi Arabia.
CAIR also criticized anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant voices for spreading disinformation about the attack, such as falsely claiming that the man was a Muslim and blaming German immigration policy for the attack.
Washington, D.C., based CAIR also called on Elon Musk to stop sharing such disinformation and to explain why X (formerly Twitter) deleted social media history on the killer’s X page that showed his extensive, years-long hostility toward Islam and support for Germany’s Neo-Nazi inspired AfD Party, for which Musk has also expressed support.
CAIR is calling on the German government to stop wasting resources investigating, censoring and abusing Germans who have peacefully protested Israel’s genocide in Gaza and instead focus on the threat of racist, xenophobic extremism.
In a statement, CAIR said:
“We strongly condemn the Christmas market attack in Germany, as well as the anti-Muslim, far-right extremism that clearly motivated the attack. We also call on X CEO Elon Musk to stop spreading disinformation about the attack, such as amplifying posts that falsely claim that the perpetrator of the attack is secretly a Muslim.
“The man accused of committing the Christmas market attack is Dr. Taleb Al Abdulmohsen, a German resident and outspoken atheist from Saudi Arabia who has publicly condemned Islam and Muslims for years, praised anti-Muslim voices in Europe such as the AfD Party and Dutch Islamophobe Geert Wilders, expressed support for Israel, advocated for atheists fleeing Saudi Arabia, and openly threatened Germany for its supposed failure to protect such Saudi asylum seekers.
“Since this information became public, the anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant voices who initially rushed to blame the Christmas market attack on immigration have been desperately scrambling to lie about the facts and find a way to continue fomenting hatred against immigrants and Islam in Europe. This campaign of disinformation is dangerous and unacceptable.
“The anti-Muslim extremism that apparently led to the Christmas market attack has sparked similarly horrific attacks around the world, from the Canada mosque shooting to the Norway bombing and mass shootings to the Christchurch mosque attacks in New Zealand. This violence must stop. So must the hatred that leads to such violence and the disinformation meant to cover up that hatred.”
In the months leading up the Christmas market attack, the alleged perpetrated reportedly sent messages and made posts on social media threatening to kill Germans as revenge for the government’s supposed failure to protect other atheists fleeing Saudi Arabia. Another atheist of Saudi descent in Germany reported him to law enforcement.
Anti-Muslim groups have been spreading disinformation online in an attempt to blame the attack on Islam. One popular anti-Muslim X page used doctored video to falsely claim that Abdulmohsen yelled “Allahu akbar” after the attack, but video shows he actually said ‘Alles Klar’ in German in response to police commands.
From January to June 2024, CAIR documented 4,951 incoming bias complaints nationwide, a 69 percent increase over the same period in 2023.
SEE: New CAIR Data Shows Anti-Muslim, Anti-Palestinian Hate Remain Elevated in First Half of 2024
Earlier this year, CAIR’s national office released its 2024 civil rights report, which revealed the highest number of complaints it has ever received in its 30-year history. Titled “Fatal: The Resurgence of Anti-Muslim Hate,” the report documented 8,061 complaints. Nearly half of all complaints received in 2023 were reported in the final three months of the year.
CAIR’s mission is to protect civil rights, enhance understanding of Islam, promote justice, and empower American Muslims.
La misión de CAIR es proteger las libertades civiles, mejorar la comprensión del Islam, promover la justicia, y empoderar a los musulmanes en los Estados Unidos.
Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | TikTok | Website
Do you like reading CAIR press releases and taking part in our action alerts? You can help contribute to CAIR’s work of defending civil rights and empowering American Muslims across the country by making a one-time contribution or becoming a monthly donor. Supporters like you make CAIR’s advocacy work possible and defeating Islamophobia an achievable goal. Click here to donate to CAIR.
You are receiving this email due to your interest selection from commercial media databases. If you would like to join CAIR’s media list, please sign up here: https://action.cair.com/a/newsletters — For more information, email: info@cair.com, CC ihooper@cair.com
END
CONTACT: CAIR National Deputy Director Edward Ahmed Mitchell, 404-285-9530, e-Mitchell@cair.com; CAIR Director of Government Affairs Department Robert S. McCaw, 202-716-6242, rmccaw@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Director Ibrahim Hooper, 202-744-7726, ihooper@cair.com; CAIR National Communications Manager Ismail Allison, 202-770-6280, iallison@cair.com