Anti-Muslim Attacks Reported in Germany: Officials

"Since the weekend, our anti-racism counseling centers in Magdeburg and the surrounding area have reported an increasingly hostile atmosphere and violent attacks against migrants and Muslims," TRT World reported, citing remarks of Reem Alabali-Radovan in Berlin on Monday.

"Unfortunately, this act is now being used as an outlet to allow racism to run its course. We must not accept that under any circumstances. We must oppose any attempt to exploit this act politically," she added.

Earlier in the day, German Vice Chancellor Robert Habeck had warned his fellow citizens against fuelling hatred against Muslims and foreigners in the wake of the attack.

On Friday evening, Germany's NTV broadcaster reported that a car had rammed into a crowd at a Christmas market in Magdeburg. On Saturday, the minister-president of the federal state of Saxony-Anhalt, Reiner Haseloff said that the attack had left five people dead and more than 200 injured.

Police suspect that the driver was a 50-year-old Saudi man acting alone. The Suddeutsche Zeitung newspaper reported that the suspect had been recognized as a refugee in July 2016 and had a residence permit in Germany.