Magdeburg Christmas market cancelled after last year's terror attack which killed six people

Local media reports Ms Borris received a letter from state officials which warned of a lack of security measures, such as barriers to stop cars entering the site.

It comes as the trial into Saudi psychiatrist Taleb al-Abdulmohsen began earlier this week.

Following a special meeting to discuss the annual market, Ms Borris said: "All experts agree that concrete counter-terrorism measures are a state responsibility, for which the organiser of a Christmas market cannot be held accountable."

She suggested that it was not her city’s responsibility to put in place tougher security measures, adding this was the job of counter-terrorism police and the regional government of Saxony-Anhalt.

Al-Abdulmohsen is accused of murdering five women aged between 45 and 75 years old and a nine-year-old boy during the attack, which lasted just over a minute on December 20, 2024.

He appeared in court on Monday wearing handcuffs and with his feet shackled, accompanied by armed police and will be held in a bullet-proof glass case throughout the trial.

Chief public prosecutor Matthias Böttcher, said the defendant had acted "with the intention of killing an indeterminately large number of people" during the attack.

The defendant was described as an opponent of Islam who was motivated to carry out the attack due to his belief in conspiracy theories and "a sense of perceived injustice" related to a legal dispute.

Under Germany law, defendants do not issue a plea in their first appearance in court but are allowed to respond to the charge themselves in court if they so wish.

During the hours-long hearing Al-Abdulmohsen showed no remorse for the attack and did not offer an apology, using a laptop to show the court two slogans: "MagdeburgGate" and "Sept 2026."

In a long speech from the dock, he told the court about the French philosopher Voltaire and women’s rights in Saudi Arabia.

He also accused former Chancellor Angela Merkel, of "betraying" Germany and suggested that his testimony could take several days of hearings to conclude.

The 51-year-old came to Germany in 2006 as a refugee from Saudi Arabia, and had worked in Germany as a psychiatrist until 2020.

The trial is set to last for around 50 days and is likely to conclude in March, with the defendant facing life imprisonment if convicted.

The Magdeburg attack shocked the world as it took place just a few days before Christmas with hundreds injured.

In the attack, a rented BMW X3 was driven through a gap in a security barrier around its perimeter.

These barriers are supposed to be in place at all German Christmas markets to prevent terror attacks.

The car was driven down Old Market alleyway through the crowd of shoppers enjoying the festive celebration.

Germany’s security services are facing criticism for not catching him before he struck, due to the suspect posting a string of violent threats on social media before the attack.

Saudi Arabian authorities had also warned Germany about a specific threat he made in 2024, reports The Telegraph.