Frank Gardner

So it's a tough message coming from Washington and something approaching panic, I think, on the behalf of Europe.

So it's a tough message coming from Washington and something approaching panic, I think, on the behalf of Europe.

There's the whole issue about trade tariffs, et cetera, and a future trade war. But I mean, look, it's no surprise, I think, that Trump's attention is not really on Europe. Ultimately, he's much more interested in things like trade, securing the southern border with Mexico and China. That's where his interests lie. The Chinese foreign minister is here in Munich.

There's the whole issue about trade tariffs, et cetera, and a future trade war. But I mean, look, it's no surprise, I think, that Trump's attention is not really on Europe. Ultimately, he's much more interested in things like trade, securing the southern border with Mexico and China. That's where his interests lie. The Chinese foreign minister is here in Munich.

There are going to, we're going to be hearing from him in a while. But that's where US attention is. So Europe is really feeling slightly left out in the cold.

There are going to, we're going to be hearing from him in a while. But that's where US attention is. So Europe is really feeling slightly left out in the cold.

A source close to the Saudi government tells me it sent four official notifications, known as Notes Verbal, to the German authorities, warning them about what it said were the very extreme views held by Talib al-Abdam Mohsen. The source, who asked not to be named, said these notifications contained details about him.

A source close to the Saudi government tells me it sent four official notifications, known as Notes Verbal, to the German authorities, warning them about what it said were the very extreme views held by Talib al-Abdam Mohsen. The source, who asked not to be named, said these notifications contained details about him.

Three were sent to Germany's intelligence agencies and one to the foreign ministry, but all the source said were ignored. Reports have emerged in the German media of the suspect's campaigns against his country's official religion, Islam, and of his fury at the policy of his adopted home, Germany, in letting in such huge numbers of Muslim refugees from the Middle East.

Three were sent to Germany's intelligence agencies and one to the foreign ministry, but all the source said were ignored. Reports have emerged in the German media of the suspect's campaigns against his country's official religion, Islam, and of his fury at the policy of his adopted home, Germany, in letting in such huge numbers of Muslim refugees from the Middle East.

He's also reported to have tried to help young Saudi women and critics of the government there escape from Saudi Arabia and seek asylum in Germany. In the past, there have been cases reported of of agents of the Saudi government carrying out surveillance on dissident Saudis living in Germany and Canada and attempts to bring them back to Saudi Arabia by force.

He's also reported to have tried to help young Saudi women and critics of the government there escape from Saudi Arabia and seek asylum in Germany. In the past, there have been cases reported of of agents of the Saudi government carrying out surveillance on dissident Saudis living in Germany and Canada and attempts to bring them back to Saudi Arabia by force.

There are often more than one reason why somebody would want to do this. It's not always purely terrorism. It's not purely ideology. It can be mental. There could be all sorts of reasons, the stress that they're undergoing. They might have been fired. They might have died. Their wife or partner has left them. They might be extremely upset about something.

There are often more than one reason why somebody would want to do this. It's not always purely terrorism. It's not purely ideology. It can be mental. There could be all sorts of reasons, the stress that they're undergoing. They might have been fired. They might have died. Their wife or partner has left them. They might be extremely upset about something.

There have been a number of similar attacks like this. For example, there was one in Nice some years ago where a Tunisian man used a lorry to mow down a large number of people. Around 80 were killed in the city of Nice in southern France. In this case, a 50-year-old Saudi Arabian doctor. That's very unusual for a number of reasons. Very few of the terrorist suspects in Europe have been Saudis.

There have been a number of similar attacks like this. For example, there was one in Nice some years ago where a Tunisian man used a lorry to mow down a large number of people. Around 80 were killed in the city of Nice in southern France. In this case, a 50-year-old Saudi Arabian doctor. That's very unusual for a number of reasons. Very few of the terrorist suspects in Europe have been Saudis.

Now, obviously, the 9-11 plot involved a lot of Saudis, but that was a long time ago, 23 years ago. 50 is quite old, and it's... It's odd, this. I mean, there are a lot of things that don't really kind of stack up. There was no particular warning. I'm not sure that there was any particular spike in traffic or gossip or chatter, as it's known as in intelligence circles, about an imminent attack.

Now, obviously, the 9-11 plot involved a lot of Saudis, but that was a long time ago, 23 years ago. 50 is quite old, and it's... It's odd, this. I mean, there are a lot of things that don't really kind of stack up. There was no particular warning. I'm not sure that there was any particular spike in traffic or gossip or chatter, as it's known as in intelligence circles, about an imminent attack.

That said, only two months ago here in the UK, the director general of MI5, Ken McCallum, said, look, we're dealing with a huge number of state threats, specifically Russia and Iran, but also terrorism hasn't gone away. And over 70% of the terrorism cases that they're dealing with are Islamist-inspired, i.e.

That said, only two months ago here in the UK, the director general of MI5, Ken McCallum, said, look, we're dealing with a huge number of state threats, specifically Russia and Iran, but also terrorism hasn't gone away. And over 70% of the terrorism cases that they're dealing with are Islamist-inspired, i.e.